Join humanitarian organisations and offer voluntary services, minister tells youths

The State minister for Youth and Children Affairs in the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Sarah Mateke, has urged the youth to embrace voluntary service in their communities. 
Ms Mateke said through voluntary service, the youth will gain experience in different fields and get connections for bigger opportunities, instead of waiting to be offered jobs by the government. 

She was speaking during the International Volunteer Day 2023 celebrations at Uganda Institute of  Information and Communication Technology, Nakawa, Kampala yesterday. 

The day is commemorated every December 5 to recognise and celebrate the efforts of volunteers around the world. 
 “We have many humanitarian organisations you can join and offer voluntary service, and that is how people will get to know your skills.  For example, you can start a campaign to keep children in school voluntarily. You never know what comes out of it, maybe you can be spotted by a big organisation and they offer you a job,” Ms Mateke said.
She added: “You find someone who has a degree in agriculture, and can help empower people in the communities through sharing best agriculture practices. How will your community benefit from you?” she asked.
She noted that some Ugandans have appreciated volunteerism and are using it to advance their leadership skills and capacity.

The junior minister said the government recognises the contribution of volunteers in saving the lives of children, women and people in emergency situations and contributions towards attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the Uganda development agenda under Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan III.

Volunteers
Ms Sheila Ngatia, deputy resident representative in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uganda, said volunteers offer their skills, expertise, and time to drive forward progress across the SDGs.

Ms Ngatia stated that volunteers are also putting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into action, by helping to address gender-based violence in countries and raising awareness of human rights.
“On behalf of UNDP, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to volunteers everywhere, for their exceptional contributions to vital areas like peace, development, and humanitarian assistance,” Ms Ngatia said.

The event attracted different volunteers from various humanitarian organisations in Uganda such as UN, JICA, Uganda Red Cross Society, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Voluntary Service Overseas, among others.