1. TOGETHER WE CAN HELP THE YOUTH
It is so disheartening and unfortunate to know that a considerable percentage of the youth in
our beloved country of Uganda and the world at large comprises victims of misfortunes such as
physical and mental disabilities, neglect, displacement due to wars, and poverty among others.
However, it would be more disheartening if those with the ability to help the underprivileged
youth just looked on as if everything were alright.
Since helping these youth does not only necessarily have to be in terms of finances, I believe
that it is an obligation for everyone to offer help to these youths.
The underprivileged youth groups I am focusing on are found among the Nubian community,
one of Uganda’s minority tribes. These youth groups live near Entebbe town and are school
drop-outs. The Nubians live adjacent to Kitubulu Forest Reserve. Many youths have dropped
out of school after Primary level because they cannot afford secondary education fees (average
of USD 130 per year).
AIDS has also been a factor affecting many households. This often robs the family of the main
bread winner leaving the home impoverished. This situation has further increased the high rate
of school drop outs.
The people who have been the first victims are girls. The reason is more cultural than financial.
The Nubian girl is taught not to waste time in school but to make mats, crafts, plait hair, bake
and get married. As soon as a parent is faced with having to prioritize his family needs, a girl is
given the least consideration as it is believed by many that, at least she can get married. Since
their dominant faith permits polygamy, they end up being third or fourth wives and the cycle of
poverty continues because they cannot acquire very good jobs since they are not well
educated.
The boy is kept in school for as long as it is practically possible as he is expected to settle in life.
However, several other factors force them out of school. The leading factor is poverty which
denies the youth an opportunity to acquire higher education or employable skills. These
vulnerable groups need to acquire practical skills which will empower them, make them
employable and self reliant.
First of all, setting up of social duties such as sports clubs and encouraging these youths to join
them will overcome the problem of anti-social behaviour such as smoking, drug abuse and
joining bad peer groups. Apart from keeping them busy and helping them to target their

2. misery, the social clubs will help them to exploit their different talents for example in sports,
which may earn them a living if they choose sports as their occupation.
Apart from that, encouraging these youths to collect certain waste materials such as used
drinking straws, plastic bottles, and boxes among others and recycle them to make decoration
materials, gifts and decoration flowers for sale. Scrap metals can also be collected and used to
make children’s toys and other materials for sale to fight the problem of poverty and to keep
them busy while in the same way conserving environment.
By organizing workshops to avail unto these youths various entrepreneurship skills to enable
them to set up small scale income generating businesses which can gradually grow bigger. Such
skills will include art and crafts which is a very good source of income; tailoring for the girls,
carpentry and other vocational training for the boys.
Another possible way is encouraging these youths to practice agriculture to fight the problem
of hunger and poverty. Crops such as maize, cassava and sweet potatoes will be emphasized
because they can withstand drought conditions and can be stored for a long time without them
getting spoilt. The crops may be consumed or sold for money.
To conclude, I believe that the above are some of the possible ways in which the
underprivileged youths in Kitubulu will be helped to forget their misery and to earn a living
while enjoying a good life. Parents should be mainly targeted so as to encourage these youths
to get educated and later get involved in gainful employment. I therefore call upon the entire
world to join hands so as to see to it that these youths live better lives.
LUYINDA DEAN
16 years
S.4 Vacation
St. Henry’s College Kitovu
Uganda.