A total of 24 adolescent persons living with HIV/AIDS and teenage mothers in Adjumani district have graduated after months of intensive skills training.
The training was a UNICEF-funded initiative designed to empower vulnerable youth with practical livelihood skills.
Iranya Ronald, district mentor, explained the background of the program. “The YAPS program started in Adjumani in 2019. By then, UNICEF was funded through AVIS. For you to qualify as YAPS, you must be virally suppressed and there must be consistency in your taking your medication. And then you also have to be HIV positive below the age of 22.”
He further revealed the financial support behind the initiative. “UNICEF gave Adjumani district local government shs91 million for skilling of the youth. Today, we are graduating 24 of them. At their graduation, they are given a start-up kit and a shs400,000 stipend for 3 months. So, at the end they will go home with shs840,000.”
The beneficiaries were encouraged to make good use of the funds.
“They were encouraged to put this money to use to invest in their various uh projects. We will appeal that UNICEF continues uh supporting these young people because there are a lot of young people outside there,” Iranya told tndNews, Uganda, after the graduation.
For many of the graduates, the journey has been marked by stigma and hardship. Atim Teddy Gloria shared her experience.
“I tested HIV positive in 2017. From there, people, most especially the neighbours and some relatives were discriminating against me and nicknaming me with various names like a walking stick, a standing coffin, and life was so hard.
“Just when I joined YAPS, that was in 2000, at least from there I felt that I was not left alone. So, I gained; the fears were not there even the stigma wasn’t there.”
Konyio Josephine Bakhita also narrated her story. “I was born in a family of 23 kids and I happen to be the lastborn. I tested positive when I was three, but I don’t know what it means by HIV. At times, I would ask my mom, “Mom, why am I taking this medicine every day?” She tells me you are having a sickness that cannot be cured.
“In 2013, they took us to the hospital, when they wanted to enrol us on ARV. That is when I knew I was HIV positive.”
She added that she finished her senior year last year. “Now, I chose the skill of art and craft. Right now, I can make a bag, a suit, and a key holder, and I can sell. I really appreciate these people so much for this program.”
Leaders in the district used the occasion to call for greater responsibility among parents and communities. Anyama Ben, LC5 chairperson of Adjumani, said: “UNICEF, as I said, as a long-term relationship with the district, I want to tell you, I’m very happy for the testimonies you gave before us here.”
“If you pick these 10 months right, two things there. One, we, the parents, are abusing our responsibility.
“And we are abusing the rights of children because if you are forcing someone to marry, and you know this is a young girl, that is abuse of children’s rights. In that case, I want to say arising from these statements of the three girls here, we the leaders must really put our parents to understand the situation on the ground because the future belongs to the young generation.”
Resident District Commissioner Toko Swaib offered words of encouragement to the graduates.
“Don’t give up. Life always has those rough paths. And once you’re on that path, know that you are going to succeed. But when you give up, if only things are not difficult, there are young persons like you who will now think perhaps I must commit suicide.”
RDC Toko added: “Never give up. This was a language used by Churchill that never gives up in life. Keep trying even when you meet challenges, try. One day, you’ll succeed.”
The graduation marks not just the end of a training program, but the beginning of renewed hope for the young beneficiaries as they step forward to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.
Discover more from tndNews, Uganda
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.