By Stephen Jamugisha
Kiryandongo, Uganda: A group of young people from both refugee and host communities in Kiryandongo District have embarked on an intensive two-week training programme in media literacy and mobile journalism, hosted at the Refugee Law Project offices.
The training, spearheaded by video advocate Onenchan Peter Roney, aims to empower the youth with practical digital skills to enable them to document, advocate, and raise awareness on issues affecting their communities. Roney said the project, funded by ROG Agency in Berlin through ASKnet, was designed to build media capacity among vulnerable youth.
“The goal is to give these young people the most valuable assets—media literacy and storytelling tools—so they can bridge communication gaps and promote advocacy from the grassroots,” said Onenchan.
Otim Patrick, a veteran filmmaker and one of the lead facilitators, emphasized the importance of practical skill-building. “Through these skills, I was able to produce Gender Against Men, a documentary that won an award in Kenya in 2009. I also represented Uganda in Canada in 2007,” he said, encouraging participants to use the training as a launchpad for their own success.
Alhaji Ahmed, another trainer, urged the participants to become responsible agents of change. “The youth must grow to become advocates and symbols of positive transformation for Kiryandongo and beyond,” he said.
Mr Koko Charles, who facilitated the media literacy sessions, stressed that journalism must be a tool for community awareness. “The role of a media professional is not just personal gain but creating platforms for collective awareness and advocacy,” he noted.
One of the trainees, Madit Matuek—a refugee participant—expressed gratitude to the organisers. “We are gaining practical knowledge and tools to represent ourselves and our communities.
“I urge the organisers to expand this programme so more youth can learn how to create their own jobs,” he added.
The initiative comes at a time when unemployment and disempowerment among youth—especially refugees—remain pressing issues in Uganda. With the rise of digital tools, the training seeks to turn media into a tool for livelihood, social cohesion, and civic participation.
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