The velocity of trust
Trust is a pretty hard thing to come by after 23 years of war, abduction, escape, and living in displaced
person camps.
The CCYA staff was there all along:
- When the LRA was there, we were there.
- When waves of refugees came through,
our team gave its all for relief efforts.
- When the government needed to be convinced that people actually had been killed, we found
proof and advocated on behalf of those whose voices were silent.
- When the camps teemed with people, we were there to organize games
and teach about health and sanitation.
Our staff has earned the right to speak for kids who don't trust many people.
Trust is hard to come by after 23 years of war. Because our staff was there helping during the worst of times, they are a trusted voice in the community.
Program: Radio broadcasts
Broadcast radio, with more than one million listeners, is the most reliable way to reach the Lango
sub-region. Even in the deep village, people tune in.
During the day, the CCYA spends precious money on expensive gasoline (nearly
US$8/gallon). Riding into the deep village on motorcycles purchased with money from their tree planting program, our team visits children
in their homes and schools.
There, our team reads through school notebooks to see if work is being done. Our team ask the principals
if the children are showing up to school and if not, they learn why. They hug children sick with HIV/AIDS. They stand up to bullies
who are running girls and children with disability out of school. They encourage.
Then at night when funding allows, the CCYA
staff purchases radio time to inform the community about what they saw and urging the community to act in ways that make more of themselves,
to have hope, and to realize that life can be better.
Results:
- Since 2001, the CCYA has hosted talk shows in English and in village
vernacular on Radio Unity and Voice of Lango. The number of programs is only limited by their funds to purchase station time.
- The
team creates catchy public service announcements to encourage the community. In 2010, the youth and kids ran a six month series of
public service announcements to advocate for better care of the disabled and to discuss pervasive drug and substance abuse.
-
Guests
include government officials, journalists, and friends of CCYA.
- The community, including government officials, have honored what we
are doing and have asked us to do more.
Advocacy
Photos from Radio Unity 97.7 FM in Lira town. The talkshow had representatives from CCYA, the Lango Cultural Foundation, Lira NGO
Forum and Uganda Police Community Liaison Department.