12 Aug A Youth Who Cares: Detiva’s Story of Courage, Leadership and Hope.
What happens when a young woman sees a problem in her community and decides not to simply complain about it but to become part of the solution?
Meet Detiva, a 25-year-old mother of one from Mayuge District whose journey is inspiring a new generation of young leaders.
Detiva’s passion for empowering young people began when she worked with Act4Africa as a community-based trainer on a project focused on empowering young girls and women. During the project, she formed five Youth Savings and Loans Associations, each with 30 members, bringing together 150 young people. She has managed to keep these young people together, training them on benefits of saving, financial literacy, and encouraging them daily to start Income generating activities.
But as she worked closely with the youth, she began to see challenges that broke her heart. She noticed that young people from poor families were often left behind, while opportunities such as scholarships seemed to favor those from families that were already well known in the community.
“Some leaders were not prioritising girls and boys from poor family backgrounds. Most services, like scholarships, went to those whose families were prominently known in the village. This often caused me pain.”
Rather than allowing that pain to discourage her, Detiva turned it into purpose. She decided to pursue leadership so she could help create opportunities for young people who were often overlooked. And she did not stop there.
While empowering others, Detiva also chose to pursue her own dreams. She enrolled at university for a three-year course, determined to prove that becoming a mother does not mean the end of a young woman’s dreams.
“This was a way of showing fellow youths that you can still achieve your dreams even after giving birth, “She narrated.
Her courage inspired others.
When Detiva contested for the position of Female Youth Councilor earlier this year, more than 10 young people from the groups she had been overseeing also expressed interest in becoming leaders, contested and were trusted by the community members who voted them to occupy different roles at village, and parish level. They saw in her something powerful: a young woman who leads by example.
Today, Detiva serves as the Female Youth Councillor of Kityerera Sub-county. Her leadership journey continues beyond the council. She has lobbied organizations such as Heifer International to support young people in her community.
And her dream is bigger still. She hopes to lobby for funds to help other young mothers return to school and pursue their dreams, just as she did.
Her story reminds us that leadership is not always about having the biggest voice in the room. Sometimes, it begins with simply caring enough to say, “Something must change,” and having the courage to be part of that change.
This International Youth Day, we celebrate Detiva and all the young people who choose to serve, inspire, and create opportunities for others. Your circumstances do not have to define your future. Your courage can inspire someone else to believe in theirs, just like Detiva.
Happy International Youth Day from Act4Africa!
Detiva conducting a community sensitisation.
Detiva (Striped dress) showing youths how to use savings passbooks.