Author: Dr Lugano Daimon, Director of Programs / Ag. Executive Director
Young people as primary target group are part and parcel in UMATI‟s governance and program through a functional Youth Action Movement (YAM) operating from the grass roots to the national level.
YAM was established for empowering young people
A story from Godlove Isdory Mwasamila, one of the YAM members
“My name is Godlove Isdory Mwasamila a 20 years old young man living in Dar es Salaam with my parents and two relatives, one brother and one sister. Now I’m schooling at St. Anthony’s A-level School.
Before Joined With YAM
Before join with YAM I was a student focusing in studying and dealing with my leadership stuffs because I was a President of school and also the coordinator of clubs in school like UN Club, TAYOA Club, ENGLISH Club, PEACE Club, EXPERT Club and PCCB Club; and through coordinate those clubs I was get opportunity From US EMBASSY IN TZ to go in UNITED STATE OF AMERICA for training in LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY ADVOCACY, CIVIC EDUCATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
After Joining YAM
After joining with YAM I have been getting a lot of training opportunities Sexual Reproductive Health and Right, and also I became an opportunity to be a Peer Educator. During my training I was selected to be the Chairman of Peer Educators in Temeke District.
I have a club at my School
After the training and involvement in YAM activities for UMATI, I initiated a new YAM club at my school where I used my free time to provide education of sexual reproductive health to my fellow students. I do this even at my home.
The Benefit I Got From YAM until Now
Actually I got a lot of benefit from YAM like improving my leadership skills and public speaking, also through YAM I got different opportunities like to be the representative of UMATI in IPPF International Sharing and Learning Meeting in Thailand (Bangkok) also to be representative of YAM in UMATI IPB 2015, and not only that but also to be the presenter from UMATI in ITV at MALUMBANO YA HOJA as a Peer Educator of SRHR;
Furthermore I got opportunity to attend the Sabasaba International trade for provision of Sexual reproductive health education in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and also attend National YAM Meeting.
Last but not the least apart from YAM I’m a volunteer with different organizations like TAYOA, PCCB, YUNA and GNRC and also I’m a co-founder and coordinator of Woman and Youth in Voice Giving organization and through volunteering I got of opportunities such as attend the International Youth Meeting in London and also the Global Event in Nairobi Kenya and in Zanzibar for slavery anniversary with YUNA
Appreciation
Actually I want to appreciate UMATI under IPPF for selecting me as an Active YAM and trust me for giving me different opportunities until now. My comment is UMATI under IPPF should continue provide opportunities to young people because young people are the main target in SRHR and also are the people who are in at risk of getting HIV/AIDs and STD and other risk behaviour like Uses of Drugs and early pregnancies.
Advice
My advice goes to my fellow youth; We need to wake up in order to archive our goals because most of young people they waiting opportunities to come and that is not right we need to follow the opportunities and show people who we real are because we have a power of choice to make a changes in future life so we need to commit ourselves and start volunteering with self discipline in 100% and will see the impact of that.
‘IF YOU WANT TO BE SOMEONE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN MAKE SURE YOU DO SOMETHING YOU HAVE NEVER DONE’
That’s my quote which I would like to share with my fellow Youth in all over the world.”
