“OLU ALU” CAMPAIGN TO END ADOLESCENCE CHALLENGES IN ARUA CITY

Arua city leaders in a group photo with officials from Restless Development, Aga khan foundation and Olu Alu change Agents after the project launch at Onduparaka. Photo by Morish Dramadri

By Morish Dramadri

Arua city

Youth in Arua city are set to benefit from a campaign aimed at migrating gender and social norms that have negatively affected the education of the adolescent boys and girls.

The “Olu Alu” campaign was initiated by group of adolescents between 13 and 24 years in the districts of Moyo and Obongi in 2019 to address the challenges brought about to the youth by the COVID 19 lockdown, and is now supported and implemented by Restless Development and Aga Khan Foundation.

The “Olu Alu” campaign literally translated as “You can- We can” has further been extended through the adolescent change agents in the neighboring Yumbe district and Arua city to help fight the impacts of adolescence on the youth.

While launching the campaign in Arua city on Tuesday January 21, 2024, Asijo Sharon the team leader of the campaign in Obongi district revealed that it is aimed at ensuring zero school dropout and no early marriage in the community.

“Every person who is affected by early marriages, drug abuse, those who drop out of school, step by step we want to ensure zero school dropout, zero GBV and zero drug abuse in our communities” Asijo said.

Elema Justus Oloto the chairperson Ayivu division head teachers’ Association who doubles as the head teacher of Pokea primary school pleaded for the involvement of parents in this campaign.

“Most of these problems of the youth are caused by we the parents, we have completely failed to bring up our children, we are not with our children, we don’t give time for our children as a result the youth have really gone astray, bring us now the parents on board to see what we can do to our children,” Oloto pointed.

Meanwhile Ayivu division senior education officer Drani Ronald Bilea petitioned the partners in the campaign to pay attention to the high drop outs at the border schools.

“Our schools from the southern part of Arua city to the northern part, the dropout rates are very very high, our children miss schools twice a week because they get into business, my prayer is that this program of “Olu Alu” should squarely address the challenges that the youth are facing which we cannot address alone through education,” Drani said.

But Hon. Kalsum Abdu Fadimullah, Arua city secretary for social service urged the parents especially in Ayivu not to lose hope in their children.

“In Ayivu we have challenges but the youth in Ayivu are subject to transformation, they can still be transformed let’s talk to them don’t say that this child has defeated you, begin taming a child right when you are breastfeeding,” Hon. Fadmullah challenged.