Faraja Africa Foundation will be hosting the 5^th National Youth Parliament on 5^th August 2022 with support from the Civil Society in Uganda Support Programme which is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with funds from the European Union and German government under the Creative Youth Inclusive Policy Engagements and Legislation (CYIPEL) project. This National Youth parliament is a platform for young leaders to express their political, social, and economic views as representatives from the grassroots. This year’s seating is under the theme Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a world for all Ages.

Faraja Africa Foundation is collaborating with other partners that include, the Parliament of Uganda, the East African Community, ActionAid, Centre for Policy Analysis, Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Youth Affairs, National Youth Council, the Rose Namayanja Foundation, Advance Afrika, Interparty Youth Platform, Uganda National Students Association, Westminster Foundation for Democracy and Restless Development Uganda among other partners.

Faraja Africa Foundation is calling upon the youth to engage themselves in advocating for their inclusion in national policy-making processes and the policy implementation under the National Youth Parliament. The motive behind this seating is to have the youth issues addressed like; poverty, unemployment, and social injustices. The resolutions that are discussed in the National Youth Parliament constitute a petition that is tabled for discussion in the Parliament of Uganda for action and policy implementation.

Therefore, we call upon youth leaders of the National Youth Councils, Student Guild Councils, District Youth Councils, and local councils across the four regions in Uganda to apply for participation in this year’s National Youth Parliament that will take place at the Parliament of Uganda as we use the top-bottom approach to have the voices of the youth echoed at the top.

Application Procedure

Check your eligibility – do you fulfill the following Prerequisite?

A young Ugandan (female or male) between the age of 18 – 30 years as of December 31st, 2022?

Then

1. Complete the application form.
2. Tweet or post on the National Youth Parliament on any of the social media platforms with hashtags #YouthParliamentUG
3. Follow National Youth Parliament and Faraja Africa Foundation; Twitter – @FarajaAfricaFdn | Facebook – Faraja Africa Foundation | Instagram – @farajaafricafdn

(Mention or tag National Youth Parliament and Faraja Africa Foundation in your post or tweet)

 

Deadline: 25th July 2022 at 11:59 pm EAT.

For more information, email info@farajaafricafdn.org

Click the link here to fill out the form: [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jqpb9BTOMYKMh944uBKOFltS3UjppbmeaR4s9Uc5bRI/edit?usp=sharing]  and follow the instructions to be part of the National Youth Parliament 2022.

For more information, please email info@farajaafricafdn.org

 

As secondary schools were opening up for the second term in early May this year, science teachers around Uganda went on strike deciding not to teach until when the government intervened and increased their salaries just like other scientists which had been the initial plan of the government. This put a lot of pressure on the government because it meant that students wouldn’t be studying and school operations would be disrupted.

To address their problem, His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni agreed to increase their salaries by 300% in the national budget 2022/23 and this will be effective starting July 2022. Having been promised the increment, the secondary science teachers who are graduates would be getting Ugx 4m per month but the government said that it would only afford to pay them Ugx 2.2m per month. The diploma science teachers would be getting Ugx 3m but the government said it could only afford to pay them Ugx 1.4m per month.

From the national budget 2022/23, Ugx 95 billion was allocated to the salary increment of science teachers excluding arts teachers. The salary increment angered arts teachers who blamed the government for being unfair and discriminatory. On June 14, barely a week after reading the national budget, The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu) called the budgetary decision a discriminatory policy that saw more than 100,000 secondary arts teachers going against the government’s decision.

The national chairperson of Unatu, Zadock Tumuhimbise, and the secretary-general Filbert Baguma had a meeting with the president on June 18 at State House but the two parties failed to reach a decision. The president insisted that he was going to first concentrate on the science teachers and the arts teachers would be sorted later on in the next financial year.

President Museveni urged the arts teachers to stop striking and go back to work which angered them the more. The President further instructed the Ministers of Education, Public service, and Finance to look into Unatu’s issue and find a way to handle the arts teachers’ salary push. In 2018, Unatu signed a collective bargaining agreement with the government which stated that all the salaries of teachers would be increased but when the government came up with an innovation strategy that would enhance the salaries of all scientists, science teachers also wanted to be included in that plan which left out the arts teachers.

Filbert Baguma said that the government has all the power to increase the salary of arts teachers and all it has to do is come up with a supplementary budget that caters for arts teachers as well because it would be unfair for an arts teacher teaching in the same secondary school with a science teacher who will be getting more salary than him at the end of the month.

Baguma argued that arts teachers have the same workload and operate in the same working environment as science teachers so it would be unfair for the government to discriminate against them. The country also needs arts people who can become politicians, economists and lawyers to mention but a few and they can also lead to the transformation of the country. Will the government hear the arts teachers’ plea and increase their salaries? That’s a topic that needs to be handled by the people at the top.

On Monday 29^th November.2021, Faraja Africa Foundation is celebrating 5 years of youth work as well as unveiling our new strategic direction for the years 2021-2025 at Silver springs hotel Bugolobi.

Since 2016, we have been driven by our mission of “molding young African leaders who are socially and economically empowered” and vision of ”facilitating the process of youth empowerment by creating platforms for meaningful economic, social, and political engagement”, which has led us  to the enormous growth and success above all.

The  purpose of this event is to celebrate our organizational achievement and successes over the past 5 years, gain strategic positioning, and share our new strategic direction to both existing and developing partners. In the same spirit, we shall be Launching Faraja Television, a broadcasting company that focuses on exposing young people on matters of social justice and youth engagement. This is however an addition to Faraja social enterprise.

Join Us Celebrate !!!

#FarajaAt5

#FarajaDtvLaunch

Katika kuelekeza nguvu kazi ya kutatua changamoto za vijana kwa njia ya uwasilishwaji wa hoja za kimantiki katika njia ya bunge, vijana kutoka Tanzania chini ya mradi wa Bunge la Vijana Afrika Mashariki siku ya leo tarehe 15^th Oktoba 2021, walikutana chou kikuu Dar es salaam na wengine kwa njia ya mtandao, hususani watu wa mkoani kam Geita, Kagera, Chato, Tanga, Simiyu , bukoba nk. Kumchagua spika wao wa Mkutano na makatibu wenye dhamana ya kuendesha mkutano na kukubaliana kwa maadhimio ya uwasilishwaji wa hoja kwa ajili ya matekelezo katika Bunge la Vijana Afrika Mashariki.

Mradi Huu, ukiwa Chini ya  Taasisi ya Faraja Africa Foundation wakishirikiana na Bunge la Afrika Mashariki na taasisi zisizozakiserikali kama success hands na Tunaweza. Mheshimiwa spika mteule wa mkutano huu aliyeshinda kwa kura 94% ni Mhe.Novatus Marandu akifwatiwa na naibu spika aliyeongoza kwa kura 87% Mhe. Khayman Yakuti.

Katika Mkutano huu,Hoja tatu zilijadiliwa na kufikiwa makubaliano ya kuwasilishwa katika Bunge la Vijana Afrika Mashariki mnamo tarehe 11-12 Oktoba 2021. Hoja zilizojadiliwa ni kama zifuatazo:

1. Hoja ya Azimio ya Vijana ya kuiomba serikali kuondoa sheria ya makato ya tozo za mialmala ya simu kwa kuwa si Rafiki kwa watu wakipato cha chini, vijana wa vyuo vikuu na wanaoishi vijijini.
2. Hoja ya Azimio la kuiomba serikali kushughulikia changamoto za unyanyasahi wa kijinsia wa nyumbani na ukatili wa kijinsia zinazowakabili Watoto, wasichana na wanawake katika wakati wa janga hili wa UVIKO-19.
3. Hoja ya kuiomba serikali kuunda benki ya maendeleo ya vijana kwa ajili ya kuwasaidia vijana ambao hawakopesheki na taasisi za kibenki na kupata mkopo wa riba nafuu.

Hoja hizi kwa ujumla wake, zilijadiliwa na mapendekezo yalitolewa katika mstakabadhi ya namna sahihi, changamoto za vijana katika ngazi hizo kuu tatu zinaweza kutatuliwa.

Pamoja na makubaliano yakimkakati yaliyojadiliwa katika siku hiyo nchini Tanzania ni Pamoja na;

1. Serikali kutengeneza mazingira Rafiki katika swala zima la kurepoti matendo ya unyanyasaji wa kijinsia hususani huongezeko la mda wa kazi mpaka masaa 24 kwenye dawati la jinsia.
2. Serikali kutengenza mazingira rafiki katika uombaji wa mkopo kwa vijana kutoka ngazi ya halmashauri mpaka ngazi ya kutengeneza kitengo cha benki ya maendeleo ya vijana.
3. Serikali kuangalia kwa jicho la tatu swala la elimu hususani yenye kukidhi mahitaji ya karne ya 21 kwa kuimairisha teknolojia na elimu.

Kama Taasisi, Faraja Africa Foundation Pamoja na wadau wamaendeleo tunaamini  katika Nguvu ya kijana kutatua changamoto zake mwenyewe kupitia Nyanja sahihi ya Uongozi uliowekwa kwa njia ya mazungumzo.

By Thekla Axel Schulte

Country Coordinator Tanzania

 

 

The East African Youth Parliament is a cross-border advocacy flagship program initiated by Faraja Africa Foundation in partnership with, European Union, Action Aid, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the East African Legislative Assembly and other partners that started in 2018. It aims at having youth voices in the key decision-making processes, right from our national to regional legislative processes, inspiring a coordinated regional governance framework. The East African Youth Parliament not only offers an opportunity to unite the youth in the region but also build their capacity in leadership, policy, and cross-border advocacy. Most importantly give them a platform to engage with key policymakers; Members of Parliament, Ministers, and Heads of State towards making responsive youth/people-centred policies.  

OPEN CALL FOR 2 DAY PLENARY – EAST AFRICAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT 2021.

Today, the East African Youth Parliament not only offers an opportunity to unite the youth in the region but also build their capacity in leadership, policy, and cross-border advocacy. Most importantly give them a platform to engage with key policymakers; Members of Parliament, Ministers, and Heads of State towards making responsive youth/people-centred policies. This year, we have yet an opportunity on the 11^th -12^th November 2021 to convene the 4^th East African Youth Parliament at the East Africa Legislative Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania under the theme; “Youth at Crossroads: Quest for descent livelihood amidst the threat of Climate change and the COVID 19 Pandemic.” 

Over 100 young people will be selected to meet physically and 100 digitally deliberate on policy issues, push for ACDEG and social justice issues back in the charter to solve youth challenges directly engaging with the East African Legislative Assembly in the EAC. The two-day sitting will bring national youth councils, student councils, civil society leaders, regional parliaments, ministry reps from the region and EALA. Increasing the advocacy platform for meaningful advocacy, since resolutions and petitions out of the sitting inform discussions at EALA. 

Application Procedure

Check your eligibility – do you fulfil the following Prerequisite?

A young East African (female or male) between the age of 18 – 35 years as of December 31st 2021? Then;

1. Complete the application form CLICK HERE

2. Make a social media post on any social media platform of your choice with hashtags #EAYouthParliament21 

3. Follow East African Youth Parliament and Faraja Africa Foundation; Twitter – @FarajaAfricaFdn | Like Page on Facebook – Faraja Africa Foundation | Follow on Instagram – @farajaafricafdn| and on LinkedIn-Faraja Africa Foundation

(Mention or tag #EAYParliament #VijanaAssembly21 and @FarajaAfricaFdn in your post.

Deadline: 1st November 2021 at 11:59 pm EAT.

For more information and inquiries, email info@farajaafricafdn.org

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

CLICK HERE TO APPLY (LINK)

The Vijana Legislative Assembly-Tanzania is a platform that builds up to the East African Youth Parliament initiated by Faraja Africa Foundation. Vijana is a Swahili word to mean youth, and the assembly is aimed at fostering safe spaces for increased youth participation in parliamentary and legislative processes, civic and political affairs within the EAC partner states.

This is a call for participants in Tanzania to join in and be part of processes that contribute to the strengthening of participatory decision-making that enables pursuits for employment and increased access to empowering social services for the youth in Tanzania on the 15th October 2021. We are proud to partner with Voice of Youth Tanzania, Tunaweza and other partners.

The 2021 Vijana Legislative Assembly Sitting will engage 100 youth in leadership both physical (30) and (70) in Virtually all regions in Tanzania.

The Vijana Legislative Assembly aims at:

▪   Creating a safe and inclusive youth space for decision-making on democratic and political issues.

▪   Increase youth participation in policymaking, developing of youth-focused policies, and increasing youth civic engagement and advocacy.

▪   Draw the attention of key decision-makers to the issues pertinent to young people’s livelihood and affirmative Government funding to minimize the effects of the COVID pandemic on youth.

▪   Ensure follow-up on the progress and actions are taken on issues raised in the 1^st Vijana Legislative Assembly (2020) including an inbuilt accountability mechanism that ensures that issues of the young people have a result-driven focus as well.

1.     Develop strategies for enhancing the quality of youth engagements in political processes at all levels and improving youth development and mentoring opportunities for effective engagements in civic and political decision-making processes

ELIGIBILITY

1.     A Resident of Tanzania aged between 18-35years.

2.     A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in business, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, or public/government service.

3.     Demonstrated knowledge and interest in social justice issues affecting youth in Tanzania.

4. Understanding of the Focus and Goals of the Vijana Legislative Assembly of Tanzania Sitting.

5. Fully tested and are COVID19 free 24hrs to the event (for physical participants)

CLICK HERE TO APPLY (LINK)

We are proud to announce the opening of a youth digital broadcasting television; Access to information is increasingly becoming expensive for young people and so is media visibility in amplifying their voices. Keeping the young people more marginalised yet they have a lot to not only share but engage in but with fewer opportunities for expression. As traditional media houses continue to disregard young people’s creativity and relevance, the latter have turned to non-traditional media such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter to share their ideas and thoughts. Which has also given room for the mushrooming of FAKE NEWS.

Hence increasing the need for developing youth-centred and media-driven solutions in this digital age where timely communication is key. With a focus on creating a youth-centred space, Faraja has created a digital television and platform to amplify African young people’s voices and creativity. Faraja Television (also known as FarajaDTv / FDTv) is opened therefore for all young people in Eastern Africa and the rest of Africa.

Faraja Television’s programming module is to reach out to her audiences through the already existent digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, satellite cable, website and other platforms. In so doing, creating a platform that can get young people’s voices amplified to the right audiences, in a timely and digital savvy medium; for civic awareness/engagement, promotion of the social entrepreneurial culture, African heritage among other youth developmental initiatives. It is a youth channel targeting not only a young audience but also that of key decision-makers (inter/governmental actors, civil society, private sector, etc.) and development practitioners. This will help aid in bridging the gap and developing youth-centred policies, programs and well facilitate the development process of young people.

Therefore, FarajaDTv seeks to create a platform for youth to inform, inspire, and empower each other through relevant, trustworthy, and regional-class quality television programs and services. Television is an open platform for all young people regardless in East Africa and not limited.

For more information, Follow us on Twitter @FarajaDTv for up-to-date news and for live shows please visit https://farajadtv.com \

Faraja Africa Foundation in partnership with Irise Institute East Africa has joined the Period Equality Network (TPEN) in digitalizing the access to menstrual hygiene management of young girls in Uganda amidst the covid-19 pandemic.

The project that will take a period of three months will be capturing stories of young girls, persons with disabilities, community leaders, persons in charge of children affairs from 5 different towns and districts including Kawempe, Mutungo-Biina, Kasese, Rubirizi and Buikwe. These will focus on the coping mechanisms of access to menstrual hygiene management amidst the pandemic, and the roles played to ensure young girls have access to sanitary towels, and information aligned with menstrual hygiene.

This project that aligns with Faraja Africa Foundation’s youth livelihood program will be implemented digitally on our social media platforms with support from platforms of our sister companies, Faraja Digital and Faraja Television. The goal with these will be to create awareness by holding tweet chats and Twitter spaces, live discussions on YouTube or Facebook to see to it that issues affecting young girls in line with menstrual hygiene are addressed and looked at.

Join us today as we digitalise issues in line with menstrual health and hygiene and come up with SMART resolutions in addressing such issues in Uganda.

By Patricia Maganda.

PRESS RELEASE: Friday 27^th August 2021, Arua, Uganda: EU, Faraja Africa Foundation flag off digital ambassadors in West Nile

The European Union in Uganda together with its implementing partners, Advance Afrika and Faraja Africa Foundation have today rewarded a group of digital ambassadors in the Arua district.

The event that took place on Friday 27^th, August 2021 at Heritage Courts saw 10 young people rewarded with tablets that would enable them to digitalize their businesses, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We believe in creating an accelerator system that can reboot businesses in the West Nile Region, during the pandemic. The project is targeting 350 young people in the districts of Arua and Zombo, as they were hit the most, because of businesses closing in the wake of the pandemic. The programme will also target 200 inmates from Arua, Nebbi and Paidha prison units in Zombo districts and 300 truck drivers from Vurra in Arua District and Alangi & Jangokoro in Zombo district. This initiative includes a business accelerator, entrepreneurship skills, capacity building, digital skilling, and psychosocial support (for the inmates). At Faraja Africa Foundation, our focus is on the social and entrepreneurship skilling,” Emmanuel Wabwire, the foundation’s founder explains.

The Improving Economic Resilience of West Nile(IERC)  project is a two-year intervention that is spearheaded by Advance Afrika and Faraja Africa Foundation and funded by the European Union.

“Advance Afrika is focusing on addressing the negative impacts of COVID 19 during the lockdown hence empowering the vulnerable youth whose businesses were greatly affected. We support rehabilitation programs in prisons for instance training in entrepreneurship and life skills as well as setting up in prison projects with guidance from Prisons officials for instance tailoring, bakery and other hands-on skills to enable the inmates to properly reintegrate back into their communities,” says Emma Wachal, a project officer at Advance Afrika.

By Faraja Africa Foundation -Admin

CLICK HERE TO APPLY (Link)

The National Youth Parliament is an important political and legislative space and creative advocacy vehicle that brings together the National Youth Council (NYC), the Uganda National Students Association – UNSA, an activist network, You Lead Network, Platform for Youth Inclusion in Politics and young people from civil society organizations, the private sector and cultural institutions among others. Since its inception in 2018, it has been held around the UN International Youth Day as part of the commemoration engagements that play a vital role in amplifying youth voices to legislators.

This year through the Platform for Youth Inclusion in Politics (PYIP), in partnership with the Parliament of Uganda, European Union, ActionAid Uganda, Restless Development, Westminster Foundation, Advance Afrika and PYIP members are organizing the fourth National Youth Parliament on 17th September 2021; under the theme “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health,” adopted from the UN International Youth Day 2021 theme. PYIP is a special purpose vehicle to galvanize joint efforts and collaboration towards youth inclusion in politics.

The plenary is a special sitting of the Parliament of Uganda, made up of 200 young leaders (across all spheres) and people and will represent the young people at the National Youth Parliament Sitting on 17th September 2021, which will take place both physically and online in a bid to ensure the government’s guidelines on COVID 19 are followed.

This is a call for youth representation across all districts in Uganda.

Do you want to speak up for young people? Do you want your voice amplified? Do not miss out on this opportunity.

Click the link here to fill out the form: https://forms.gle/7GgEw5ZCLbMioTmP8 and follow instructions to be part of the National Youth Parliament 2021.

For more information please email info@farajaafricafdn.org