This essay is one of 35 selected by a panel of judges for “Ambitions Interrupted,” a series from The GroundTruth Project and YouthVoices, its storytelling platform.
Name: Tinka Paul
Age: 33
Dream job: International youth mentor
City, Country: Kampala, Uganda
Current job/school: Youth mentor, Innovation graduate fellow
Challenge: Lack of resources
It’s important to remember that there are young people out there who use their creativity to “make it.” I am one such young person. As an innovation / graduate fellow at Educate! an NGO that focuses on developing young leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa, it’s my job to mentor young people and show them how to start something for themselves as entrepreneurs.
In the last six years, I’ve worked with people from all walks of life and helped them learn how to make a living. I started out as a volunteer in Namasagali, a sub-county in the Kamuli District of Uganda, where I trained the community for free. Eventually, I worked my way into becoming the mentor in Kamuli District and have since reached out to over a million young people across Uganda.
I meet young people in the field and show them skills that help get them on their feet. I also give inspirational speeches to students. It’s a mission that comes with challenges.
Most of my challenges come from a lack of resources – we’re always in need of school supplies like notebooks, markers and flip charts. Our laptops and smartphones are also outdated and inefficient, and the monthly operation costs for internet or newspaper subscriptions can even be a big financial undertaking. Sometimes, it is also difficult to work with the tight time table of most school days and teachers that help mobilize students can be slow to respond.
Even so, it’s a pleasure to see these youth start viable businesses that move forward.
This story was originally submitted to YouthVoices, a platform powered by The GroundTruth Project that encourages young people to share stories about the issues affecting their generation. Submit your own essays and answer new questions here, or learn more about global youth unemployment with this interactive map.