If you’re a student – and especially a good one! – evenings are often spent pouring over homework. Or, simply hanging out with friends, watching TV and playing games. But for a group of young people in Oruchinga Refugee Settlement in Uganda, that simply wasn’t possible.
The problem? Electricity.
The Youth Center where they spend so much time after school wasn’t hooked up to the power grid. So when we first met them on Day 60, we took an important first step to help them out. But they needed something more.
The center offers a lot of incredible resources for young people in the community, like English-learning lessons, a small library, and a chance to spend time together in productive ways. But a lot of these things just weren’t possible without light.
“Some of our members are in school,” said Cubaka, the president of the group. “They come to the Youth Center in the evening. So when we’re in darkness it’s very difficult for us.”
We knew that so many possibilities might open up if just one change was made – access to electricity. So for day 69, we made it happen.
“Thank you so much! You cannot imagine what a difference this will make,” said Cubaka. “With electricity, people can come and study in the evening. They can come after school and read, they can come and see their friends. We can be together safely, doing good things and coming up with more ideas.”
