YTB (Youth ARE)'s Impact

Hello, my name is Denise Mwebe, Youth Leader, YTB Kisubi, Uganda. I work as the YTB Project Manager for Tailoring and Personal Hygiene. One year ago, I could not imagine saying those words about my role in the community. I thought I was among the neediest people who could not help others. Through YTB leadership development, I realized that I am of greater importance than I thought. I benefit a lot of fellow girls for whom I make reusable sanitary pads using my tailoring skills. Due to my leadership, YTB has pledged that all girls in YTB Kisubi will have free reusable sanitary pads. To prevent transmission of candida, the girls also need individual knicker pegs for drying the pads after washing. YTB is providing these for the girls so that they can participate in YTB every day. YTB’s fundraising campaign is called “Every Girl, Every Day.” I am very happy for the respect YTB has for girls’ hygiene and digital inclusion. Our YTB photovoice project included both boys and girls in the making of sanitary pads and using the button press machine from YTB. Through our earning YTB credits we are receiving online courses in mobile photography. I recently recorded a demonstration video for reusable pads that YTB is posting on the YouthARE website. None of this was possible before YTB.

Hello, my name is Lusaka Ryan, Youth Leader for YTB Nabutti-Mukono, Uganda, Head of Give-A-Hand-Uganda (GAHU), and artist-trainer in sculpture and welding. Timebanking is a new idea for people in Uganda. I am trying to help build interest. Most youths in Uganda have very little of our national currency. The concept of time as currency for the exchange of some basic services like training, doing errands, making repairs, and food service can make a big difference. It is still taking time for acceptance. This is one of the reasons why I like being part of YTB. It gives me opportunities to learn about timebanking in other countries and participate in virtual sessions like this. I enjoy helping when YTB needs someone to test a new form or mobile app. A couple of years ago, YTB presented a training session with Rory Neary, a Microsoft Professional in Downley, England. This opportunity sparked my interest in learning how to use Artificial Intelligence apps and applying them to promote my art. This kind of opportunity is extraordinary and unusual for youth in Uganda. I have received help from YTB donations to get safety gear and overalls for the youth who participate in my training in sculpture and welding. At the beginning of this year, I sculpted a bust of Edgar Cahn that is placed at the YTB Library in Kisubi. Youths are telling people in East Africa about timebanking & co-production. We know life can be better with more people understanding timebanking.

Hello, my name is Precious Ainembabazi, YTB Youth Leader, Technology Coordinator, and Project Lead for photovoiceYTB. I work with YTB to learn and then to explain basic ideas of timebanking, the 5 Core Values, co-production, and photovoice to youths in YTB Kisubi. I work with Denise to manage YTB activity reporting as very few youths are digitally included. We are pooling our service credits to obtain technology for Zoom meetings, better internet, and mobile devices. As part of YTB we have access to software like Canva Teams for Nonprofits and Affinity Designer 2. To help us learn technology we also have access to Google Workspace, and gift courses from Udemy.com. Most of our service activities are community projects. photovoiceYTB has been a breakthrough experience for Kisubi youths. We did things we thought we could not do. I led our outreach to the Chairman of a fishing site. All of us were involved in proposing ideas for how we can be part of community improvement for sanitation. I feel so much more confident about my leadership abilities and love the sense of belonging to something bigger with YTB Kisubi. This coming Monday, Denise and I are joining a public health conference session on Photovoice for Youth and Community Development. Kisubi’s photovoiceYTB project will be spotlighted. YTB puts opportunity in the same space as youth who want to pay it forward and build trust.