Candidate for an African Union Youth Volunteer
Reference is made to the call for the African Union Youth Volunteer. I am a Ugandan by nationality aged 25 years. I submit my motivation with assurance that I will be a reliable asset to realising Africa's development targets and goals for Africa Union's Agenda 2063 through this volunteering opportunity, given the following endowments;
·Am empowered and determined young advocate, passionate about ensuring that country priorities are designed to reduce existing inequalities, address entrenched discrimination, and realize the social and economic rights of the most in need populations when they are feasible, affordable, and implementable.
·I have supported various projects that address gender inequality, and gender based violence among young women and girls as well as sexual reproductive health and rights. These projects are not limited to the Link Up project; Partnership to Inspire Transform and Connect the HIV Response (PITCH) project and Get up Speak out (GUSO) under Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDS.
·My youth civic engagement, participation and youth empowerment experience has been mainly focusing on fighting HIV and AIDS among young people, stigma and Discrimination of young people living with HIV, gender inequality, and gender based violence among young women and girls as well as sexual reproductive health and rights through public education and peer education to youth in and out of school, cultural and religious leaders and the communities at large. I have further participated in stakeholders meetings mainly drawing attention of people in general and those in positions of authority in particular to accept the reality of HIV in our communities, and to recognize the rights of youth living with HIV.
I have been at the forefront in public policy analysis basically analyzing policies that are contrary to human rights and to young people living with HIV including the petitioning of the HIV Prevention HIV and AIDS prevention and control act 2014 to the Constitutional court; campaigning for better services for young people living with HIV like the Youth Friendly services in Health Centers, access to medicine, counselling and other support(s) needed to defend the right to life and to health care.
I have also participated in the care and support for young people Living HIV mainly informing them about their rights and about treatments; comforting them through counselling, home visiting and lobbied for spaces where they can meet, share concerns and information, and take joint action.
·My previous experiences have prepared me to observe and protect the fundamental human rights and freedoms of individuals and groups that I engage with regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems and this will help me to fit in well wherever I can be placed.
I observe and protect the rule of law for any country and community and based on my background, I have observed all laws in Uganda as it is evident that I have never been convicted.
I also possess good communication skills with others mainly using English as the most used language across the region. This will enable me communicate effectively and efficiently with fellow staff and the communities I will engage with.
·I expect to become a prominent, empowered and articulate advocate, analyst and programmer contributing to the local, national, regional and global policy making and political spaces ensuring that appropriate, technically competent, integrated services for people are available worldwide.
I expect to see the organization that I will be deployed in as a leading organisation for development reaching the most marginalized populations, including indigenous peoples addressing their social and economic needs, becoming a well-coordinated and sustained network that engages communities there by enabling all people to come forward to receive appropriate, accessible and acceptable services provided through government and private providers.
In terms of supporting the communities, I expect to replicate the community differential modals enhanced after my year of service that address the social and economic needs of the marginalized populations and communities, ensure that the human rights and dignity are protected, promoted and fulfilled, without distinction of any kind and commit to accelerate efforts towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Africa Union's Agenda 2063.
Please help me with my motivation letter if it answers the following:
1. Why you want to become an African Union Youth Volunteer?
2.Why you believe you are the best candidate to be an African Union Youth Volunteer?
3.What is your experience(s) (formal or informal) in youth civic engagement and participation, youth empowerment and/or promoting Pan-Africanism?
4. How has your previous experience(s) prepared you to work in diverse teams and cultures?
5What change do you expect to see in yourself, the organization that you will be deployed in, and the community that you will be part of after your year of service?