Plans for 2023

A new year is approaching, which I am looking forward to. I am planning ahead of what I will be doing the next year.

In Uganda I ran pilot groups with my product idea of my picture cards and mapping forms. Within a week I had four groups while staying in Jinja, with a total of 75-80 active participants. And even more children observing and listening in, from the age of 3. The children and youth, aged 12 to 23 years old, agreed that it is a good idea, and they expressed how it had helped them, within two-three hours of activity. They expressed that they wish for my ideas to be used in schools in Uganda, for children from the age of 9 years. For me, that was a success.

We were talking about “resources” and “developmental potential”.

After arriving home in Uganda, I realised that “Operasjon Dagsverk” targeted mental health specifically in Uganda for the fundraising event this year. It is a fundraising event in schools in Norway, that engages children and youth in formal and informal work, donating the money to an ideal purpose. The purpose for choosing Uganda as target country, is stated as addressing mental health among youth and children. And that mental health is a taboo, and is generally not addressed. This was my impression as well. Youth and children expressed that they do not learn to talk about topics such as their personalities, or interests in and out of school. Nor about future opportunities for work, or that their interests is not necessarily the same as their parents. As well as sress-related concerns in school, and after school hours.

While staying in Jinja, on the Nile, I had a total of for groups with youth aged 12 to 23 years old. Three of the boys I met while walking along the Nile. They asked me, “Can you help us find work?” The construction site that they visited to seek work was not in need of any more labourers that day. Maybe the next day, or the week after. Unfortunately I could not help them find work, but I did engage them in a group conversation for two hours. We talked about their interests for work, occupational values and values in society, and their personality traits. They also expressed their emotions, through using my picture cards.

Students, construction workers and football fans.

The other three groups that I facilitated in Jinja was in cooperation with Adoration Church Service. They are a congregation of around 300 people with no church. But they do have a tent that provides shelter from sun and rain, which they put up and take down every Sunday for church service. The town is located at the bottom of a hill, surrounded by bushlands and small townhouses. The real challenge is during heavy rain, causing the dirt road to flood and erode, making the town inaccessible by car. In August I postponed one group discussion, due to rain. I opted not to travel on boda-boda (moped) in the pouring rain. Some of the youth had walked for two hours to participate. During my next visit I apologised.

Kainogoga village, Jinja.

Through facilitating groups in Uganda I have tested and documented need and effect in youth and children. They are wanting me to return to Uganda to do more work, and to facilitate more groups. The three boys that I met along the Nile occasionally send me an email. “Have you been following the World Cup? Which is your team?” I am hoping to return to Uganda in 2023 to visit, and to facilitate more groups.

I am in contact with organisations working in refugee camps in Uganda. They are asking me for updates about my work. They are faced with challenges of high rates of unemployment, particularly among youth, as well as the langugage barrier. Arriving refugees speak a mixture of Kiswahili, Arabic, French and Kinyarwanda. In Uganda locals speak English, and Luganda or Lusogo. Lack of language skills increases the risk of drop out from school, and lack of access to work. Another organisation that works in camps in Sudan have invited me to do work along with them.

As we enter the new year I will begin to plan for a project focusing on high school drop outs in Norway. For the past two decades around 30% of students have not completed high school in Norway. The rate is particularly high among students in vocational studies. And especially boys with minority background. I have been asked to propose a project focusing on career learning and career skills. I will also be integrating outdoor education and practical learning, to engage the youth in outdoor activities.

With this, I am hoping for a better, new year.

New Years’ greetings!