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 \

In preparation to Uganda’s scientific elections as indicated in the roadmap launched on 16^th June by the Electoral Commission; a coalition of civil society entities, youth-led and youth-focused organizations, councils, political party youth leagues, academia and the informal sector have come together to form the Platform for Youth Inclusion in Politics (PYIP). It is formed as a special purpose vehicle to galvanize joint efforts and collaboration towards youth inclusion in politics. Several engagements under the PYIP are scheduled to take place Pre-During-Post 2021 general elections. 

PYIP is structured in three sections which include; a) Accountability whose main role is to ensure technical and financial support is available for PYIP to achieve its purpose, its led by civil society organization representatives which include; ActionAid Uganda (the current secretariat), Westminster Foundation for Democracy and Restless Development Uganda. The second section is b) Governance spearheaded by youth-led organizations including; Faraja Africa Foundation, Open Space Uganda, IDEA Uganda, Interparty Youth Platform and CEPA. Their main role is to execute the work PYIP is meant to do towards bringing to life its purpose. Lastly is the c) Network of organizations such as the National Youth Council, the Uganda National Students Association among other stakeholders. Whose main role is to work with the governance section in PYIP execution.

As PYIP, we seek to advocate for policies and inclusive legislative processes that will enable Uganda and the region at large to reap the fruits of the marginalized demography of young people. PYP’s work is hinged on five core actions that include; civic education, youth voter mobilization, candidate capacity building, facilitate platforms for engagement that support democracy and inclusion and more election-related interventions that ensure meaningful youth inclusion in political processes. PYIP was launched on the 23^rd July 2020 at Eureka hotel and hosted over 100 young people on zoom with a streaming audience on Facebook of over 400 young people in Uganda. It’s launched marked as its inauguration and beginning of its work, we believe with the collective effort we can unite the young people of Uganda and champion a free and fair environment for meaningful participation in political processes during and after the 2021 elections.