By Fr. Walter Munna, UCE Kasese District, Uganda, December 2012- Our team visited 2 secondary schools last month. Both Kuruguhe Girls School and Nyakiyumbu Secondary School were successful outreaches. Before the outreach, we came across some challenges that the youth are facing. Cross generation sex is the order of the day, where old men use their money to exploit young girls. Forced marriages and early marriages is still common in our district , this is because of the high poverty levels, increased number of orphans in the district, children, especially girls, are still looked at as source of wealth in most families in terms of dowry. Most schools in villages are a far distance. Some do not value their lives in other wards do not appreciate who they are. Others have lost hope in the future.
When we reached Nyakiyumbu we were welcomed by the youth leaders, the praise and worship team kicked off the event and opened in prayer. Thereafter, the team was introduced and the UCE values, objectives, and mission were explained to youth. This attracted their attention.
The team proceeded with the outreach. The youth were eager to hear from the team, relevant examples and personal experiences to the current situation (HIV/AIDS crisis) and society were used to drive the point home. The youth were also given an opportunity to share their personal experiences with fellow youth. It was a most interesting experience, the youth opened up and discussed many issues that affect them, and shared freely. They also requested more frequent visits to their churches and centers, by the UCE team.
For those who had lost hope it was restored. They took heart in the hopeful message of UCE, and saw that there is a better way of life. 182 young lives were saved this morning as they stood up in front of their peers and committed themselves to Jesus Christ and chastity!