Simon Ssenkaayi Interview
Please tell us about yourself?
I am Simon Ssenkaayi, a Rotarian, a youth advocate, passionate leader and motivational and inspirational speaker. I am a Ugandan, born in a small village of Sseguku just 6miles away from Kampala, the capital. Professionally qualified as an educationist with concentration on economics and computer science; endowed with vast experience in community development work for the last 8 years. Have had advanced training in advocacy from Turkey, sustainable youth-led development from UAE, SME management from China. I am a graduate with an MBA with great focus on marketing management and strategy.
Previous assignments with organisations include support to NGOs working with children, youth and women; capacity building and training especially in participatory planning processes, strategic planning and organisational development, conducting socio-economic baseline surveys, community mobilisation and empowerment; project planning and reviews and motivational and inspirational speaking.
Previously worked with Youth for Human Rights International (Uganda Chapter), Germany Foundation for world population (Dsw_Bonita), Save the Children Uganda, Uganda Red Cross Society, Young Empowered and Health initiative for and by young people under Uganda Aids Commission funded by USAID, Winsor Development Consultants, Ministry of Youth Buganda Kingdom, Founder and Senior trainer of Global Empowerment Link and other NGOs.
In Brief, “A Passionate leader, self-driven, knows no failure, motivated by so many desperate young people and determined to make a difference in their world.”
PLATFORMS
- National Director World Faith International – Uganda Chapter
- Common Wealth Youth Forum Facilitator 2007 (Dsw_Bonita)
- UN online Volunteers
- Alumni of the 5th World Youth Congress ISTANBUL – TURKEY
- Presenter at Education Without Boarders Conference DUBAI – UAE
- Democratic Party Youth Leader – Makindye Sub-County
- Youth Representative – Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda 2010
- Business Trainer on CBS FM and RADIO TWO Kampala
- International Youth Council
- Buganda Youth Council
- Community Mobiliser – Ministry of Youth, Buganda Kingdom
What is the name of the community outreach project you involved in? And what is it all about?
Personally, I dedicated myself to changing young people’s lives; telling them that someone can be anything in this world irrespective of where they come from, the colour of their skin, their education level and their family roots. I remind them that, so long as they define who they’re, what they want, and what it costs them to get it and the will to go for it, nothing is impossible. With such kind of work, I found myself serving many initiatives at the moment among which include;
Child and Elderly Support organisation, Youth mobilisation and empowerment by Buganda Youth Council, Youth Entrepreneurship groups and Youth for change: I will concentrate much on Child & Elderly Support Organisation (CESO.UGANDA)
In this initiative, we signed a memorandum of understanding with World Faith International and us CESO and Buganda Youth Council. World Faith incorporated in an element of inter-faith actions; where young people of various religious affiliations come together to change communities with a purpose of building unity and communicating its importance to our common destiny. So various activities are carried out, i.e. community mobilisation, organisation and empowerment; capacity building; entrepreneurship trainings; education; sensitization and awareness campaigns especially on HIV and other diseases and agricultural projects.
We have various youth entrepreneurship groups that deal in Art & Crafts, Brick Laying, Agriculture and Music Dance and Drama. We train then on how they live a sustainable life using the minimum resources within their vicinity. Therefore, our initiatives are entirely on community transformation through sustainable youth led development.
When did it start? What motivated you to start this project?
Before we partnered with World Faith International, Buganda Youth council had same projects at various leadership structures. Initially, we focused on building leaders and then after expanded to agriculture and capacity building. I joined the project formally in 2008 after my graduation as a professional teacher. However the project had started way back in 2005. After joining, together with colleagues we came with CESO (www.cesoug.org) and Global Empowerment Link; one as an NGO and another as an income generating company through consultancy work.
What motivated me to start this was the 2008 statistics by Uganda government Ministry of Youth: “Uganda was passing out over 400,000 students from various institutions of learning at various levels, however, the economy could only create 8000 jobs.” These educated young people only constituted 25% of the population and the remaining majority could not afford school and so never had a chance and live mainly in rural areas. Having looked at the situation, I asked myself, HOW CAN I HAVE MY CONTRIBUTION? HOW CAN I HELP? IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP? IF SO, HOW? With answers to those questions together with my personal background that isn’t defined by plenty, I knew there was something I could do to let young people stand up for their own future. This inner dissatisfaction forced me to join leadership positions on Buganda Youth Council something that triggered off a journey I will never ever stop walking until my contribution is no more. Deep inside me, I believed in changing young people’s attitude to one of self-reliance and sustainability.
What is the purpose this project?
The purpose of our projects is to mobilize, organize and empower young people with practical skills that could enable them live a sustainable life and capacitate them to transform their own communities through entrepreneurship activities like poultry, agriculture and other feasible and environmentally conducive activities. This we can do and we shall do.
What do you want to achieve with project?
My vision is to see a generation of young men and women who are willing to work hard and smart not only to change their own lives but also to change that of a collapsing social structure in my country hence a bright future with responsible citizens. Through community transformation and empowerment, we hope parents or even youth can be able to go back to school either with assistance or self-help actions. I strongly believe, an empowered community will produce empowerment young people who shall take on this country long after our fathers have perished.
How one can get involved in the project?
All young people between the age brackets of 18-34 can get involved through volunteer ship and active participation. Other international people can get involved by coming here to volunteer or help fund various youth groups in various locations to boost their projects into big sustainable projects that can not only employ young people but also transform communities.
What were some of the challenges you faced as a young person starting your own project?
The challenges differ from other young people around the world. Mine wasn’t funds because I am one person who believes that a right idea whose time has come cannot fail. The greatest challenge was frustrations and disappointments from older people who could instead of encouraging were just discouraging. There is a tendency in our African society to associate wisdom, knowledge and understanding only with old people. So whoever would listen to my idea would appreciate but would express how hard it is to fulfill it. They would all say, “You can’t do it.” Even after trying and doing something, many old people never appreciated the effort. This discouraged me so much. On mobilizing young people to buy our idea, it was kind of hectic as many people could not see what I was seeing and since iw as young, I failed to make many see what I was seeing. However, with my gift of persuasive speaking, I managed to have a few to start with in Buganda Youth Council. Another challenge was the poor government policies that make it hard for someone to register an organization. The authorities wanted someone to have reached a certain level for him to register an organization; they could never say that but you could see especially with the long bureaucracies that only frustrated one to drop out. But then I had a quote I used move with since childhood. I heard this from my father, “It’s about how many times you try and fail, but many times you lift yourself up to continue moving.” This has always been my guiding principle in whatever I am doing.
How has the journey being like so far?
The journey has never been one of slippery surface or smooth. It all about goes back to what you want in life; what you want to achieve. It is never about what we do, but the reasons behind what we do. If the reasons are genuine and are passionate to you, you will keep on going irrespective of anything contrary. The journey has been and is still one of trying and testing, but my nurturing taught me one thing, “An open gift is worthless.” You must always toil for what you want, only then can you appreciate it more. However, I have a vision in my life and so I always keep my eyes on the horizon. I keep going because I know the joy of a winner; in my life, I never settle for less or average life, I always shoot towards the moon. In so doing, even if I don’t reach, at least I land among the stars, which again gives me the courage to aim more. Therefore, deep down in my bones, I feel it, I see it, I smell it and move it, that one day we shall get there no matter what. With God’s grace and guidance, no problem of humanity is beyond humans, we shall win!
How has the community benefited from the project?
With the rural Uganda still having many illiterates, youth initially were wasting a lot of time in drugs, robbery and irrational actions. Our projects have changed young people who are now in serious agriculture, crafts and other activities. Such activities keep them busy which help them a lot never to engage in other dubious activities. Additionally, through trainings, motivational and inspirational speaking, their attitudes have changed. You see this through their interviews where many say, “I now believe I can be anything in this world even without education. I know that the future of my community is in my hands and so whatever I do, shapes it either positively or negatively – Robert Kyazze.” Many like him know that they can do anything. Therefore, besides transforming communities, creating IGAs for young people, promoting entrepreneurship through agricultural activities; both communities and the country at large benefits especially with a generation of responsible citizens nurtured that a country can rely on for a brighter future.
What has been some of your biggest achievements yet?
5 successful young groups that started with only 30 young people have been recognized by authorities and if all goes well, 2 are to be elevated to Rural Micro-Finance institutions. All of these groups are no longer groups just, but SACCOS (Savings and Credit Cooperatives) which have helped so many young people with financing their small businesses, sponsor many kids to school and boosted many agricultural activities. More so, today Luwero Sacco was contracted by two big Hotels in Kampala to supply Pine Apples. We are now seeking for funding to establish a factory that can produce pine apple juice to be sold to the market.
My greatest achievement of all time is the happiness and change young people exhibit. YES, I have friends I work with, but it makes me proud and happy to see young people leading change in their communities. And I am proud to have been the person to instigate this attitude.
What do you think are some of the challenges facing African youth today?
To differ from many people and leaders across the continent who thinks that education alone can change communities, I have a different view. Practically basing on the experience I have with working with young people, they just need trust and belief and guidance/direction in order for them to start. The African mindset of associating wisdom, ability, intelligence and knowledge with age should dissolve immediately. The belief that young people do not understand or know what to do is wrong; for the world has change and so must we. Young people of our generation know what they want, they just need guidance, direction and a little assistance in management to change their own lives and transform their communities. But many leaders just talk about sustainable youth led development but leave everything in proposals, books and policy documents, they never implement any. In fact, if you closely look at this, you can begin to understand why sustainable development in many of our countries has failed; there is no one to carry the flag of continuity for most of the initiatives because no one is nurtured or trained to do that. That is the greatest challenge young people face today especially on our continent. When you travel and see, many developments, innovations, creations of our world have been started by young people. WHY? Simple, because their countries believe in them and guidance is available and talent is awarded and recognized.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Five years from now, I see a strong leader continuously standing for young people wherever especially on my continent. You know most African Nations have similar challenges. We don’t have problems in Africa. Problems need solutions but challenges need strategies and so we have the capacity to come up with effective and efficient strategies to overcome our tests. In my entire life, I once again reaffirm my conviction through this interview that, come five years or hundred years from now, I will still stand for the same values; I will still be an advocate of the same values. I still have time to decide whether to join active politics or not, it will depend on who and what stands in the way of destiny. Otherwise, I see in five years an economy fully driven by sustainable youth-led initiatives around the country.
What would you like to change about Africa today?
It is a big question simply because the foundations upon which many African Nations were founded have outlived their usefulness. You know, many African leaders still lead their Nations with an old mindset of war, fighting and imposing yourself and ideas on other people. They forget to learn one thing, “needs and challenges change per given time.” I want Africans to know and appreciate the role of young people in the future development of this magnificent continent; I want them to understand that the time has come to let young people lift the flag of development, change, knowledge under their guidance; I want them to do things knowing that, they should leave a generation of young people that can sustain such developments; I want them to know above all, that if Africa is for Africans, they must give a chance to young Africans to learn and prepare themselves for another new age of colonialism; if they are pan Africanist as most claim, they be able to understand stand. There is no use of being one eyed among the blind; if you leave or die, another one eyed one either inhabitant or foreign will lead, but who knows where? The foundation of Africa has to be rebuilt with youthful cement that is able to lift the future roof of hard challenges. AFRICAN LEADERS SHOULD RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING A NEW GENERATION FOR THE NEW AGE.
What advice do you have for young people who want to start their own project?
There is only one advice, no magic: know what you want, where it is, what it costs you to get and then begin moving towards it. That isn’t enough, as you move; make a pledge that there is no turning back. With such a spirit in you, there is nothing frustrating or disappointing; there is nothing stronger or bigger than what you want. No weapon can stop a passionate, determined spirit that knows and understands the life of winners. Therefore, irrespective of where you come from, your education level, your family back ground, your color, you can be anything in this world if you choose too.
How can other youth connect with you?
As indicated earlier, I am a motivational and inspirational speaker. Something different or unique, I root my words from the practical experiences of my life and above all, grounded in an African culture. I am invited to many places to talk to young people and share my story, something that has inspired not only young people but also grownups to leading change in their various communities and countries at large. I am willing to share what I have with anyone or group because I believe; my story isn’t different from many across the globe. You can find me on:
[email protected] – Facebook
+256 712 066421 / +256 730 730 765
Global Empowerment Link (U) Ltd
P.O. Box, 35674
Kampala – Uganda
Any group or individual ready to change, I can always give you practical tips towards reaching your dream. I have not reached the mountain top but I believe I have mastered a few steps. To inspire a nation to change, you don’t to have amounted much; you just need to have mastered a few steps of your life.
God Bless you all!!
