Global Changemakers

“It will be one full and complete year since three Ugandans participated Uganda in the Africa youth summit which turned out to be a land mark in their lives and their respective communities.”

On 1 June 2009, three Ugandan youth namely Alex, Dickson and Moses, traveled to South Africa for the first ever Global Changemakers Africa Youth Summit to respect us. Our selection was based on the active roles we played in the Debate to Action project 2008. Though the three of us were active activists, our activities and areas of activism R. Alex was implementing his Youth link initiative, Dickson was busy with the environmental awareness and conservation program at the same time a university student, while I, Moses, was busy with youth empowerment and promotion of MDGs and a university student.

Moses in blue, with Changemakers in Cape Town. Gaby was so friendly to us.

The profiles given above seemed great and sounded big, but had done nothing to us and me in particular, because all the years I was a youth worker, I had failed to learn and appreciate the value of globalization. Little did I know that one African in Zimbabwe or anywhere from Africa was one Ugandan from any region! I only thought that Uganda for Ugandans and Africa for Africans! Not realizing that it was a Ugandan to make Africa, an African to make a continent, which continent makes the world together with others. What a magical circle!!!

Prior to our flight, a press briefing was organized by the British Council Uganda and over four media houses attended and they all published that the three Ugandan had traveled. YES, our names were put at the forefront, and that’s why when I got back to my community every one was waiting with great hope to see and hear from Moses who had represented the Ugandan youth at the summit.

The six days in Cape Town were full of learning, traveling, questioning, laughter, sharing and all those you can imagine.

On the last day of the summit, certificates were given to us confirming that we had become part of the Global Changemakers team and YES, we were challenged to go and make change in our respective communities. Though it was internal pain separating and parting from fellow Changemakers, it was pleasure that I was going home with a rank of a Global Changemaker.

On the 1st of July 2009, I with the team implemented the Youth Crack HIV in schools project to be operational in the hard to reach schools of one poor sub-county which greatly suffered the 5 year golira war.

Since then, the project has not only earned national but also international recognition and coverage. On a personal level, I have not remained the same since then, at least I now count in my community and can be banked on as a pillar in the community.

All said and yet to be said, done and yet to be done, seen and yet to be seen, thought of and not thought of, are effort of the global change makers team. It is against such a back ground that we have decided to celebrate this one year since the country joined the global move.

From 1st –to-7th June 2010, a series of activities are going to be carried out. These are the exact days we spent in Cape Town. Each day will focus on one or two areas of activism supported by Global Changemakers. The reason for this is to remember all those change makers doing a lot in their communities and countries.
 
Every day through out the six days, there will be registration of members. We hope to register 50 new members to the net work, and we shall be talking about all the programs and activities of the Global Changemakers, using the website and the caps blog. The Global Changemakers will be notified of the proceedings.

On the last day, we expect to have the Uganda National Youth coordinator and the minister in charge of children and youth, to officially launch a booklet with students’ letters to leaders’ world wide. The minister will close the event by launching the 2nd phase of my CAP called Youth Crack HIV in Schools.

We therefore call upon every one out there, member or not yet a Global Changemakers member to support the initiative which we think will keep the Changemaker spirit burning in Uganda, Africa and the globe.

Moses Ssenyonyi
Changemaker born at the Africa Youth Summit 2009