December 20, 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, the spreadsheets on our desks are full of numbers. We can count the kilos of soap distributed, the number of porridge cups served, and the dozens of scholastic kits handed out.
But how do you measure peace? How do you quantify the value of a fight that didn’t happen on a street corner last night? How do you put a statistic on a young man who used to be feared by his neighbors, who is now greeted with respect because he is holding down a steady job?
This year, Fecane Child Foundation focused intensely on the demographic that society often gives up on: the “idle” youth of Wakiso. The teenagers and young adults hovering between childhood and adulthood, often standing on the dangerous edge between potential and trouble.
Today, we are celebrating 50 specific victories.
The “Hard” Success: The Dignity of Employment
We are thrilled to report that out of the cohort of 50 high-risk youths we intensively mentored this year, a significant percentage have crossed the most difficult bridge in the slum economy: they have secured employment.
Some have graduated from our informal skills training and are now working in local workshops—carpentry, mechanics, and tailoring. Others have used the small seed grants we provided to start micro-hustles, selling goods in the evening markets.
For these young people, a paycheck isn’t just money. It’s an identity shift. It’s the difference between being seen as a burden and being seen as a provider. The pride in their eyes when they show us their earnings is the greatest return on investment we could ask for.
The “Soft” Success: Redefining Character
But employment is only half the story of 2024. The more profound change has happened internally.
At the start of the year, many in this group of 50 were known to the community for the wrong reasons. Idleness in a slum is a vacuum that is quickly filled by negative influences. Petty theft, street fighting, and substance abuse were common coping mechanisms for boredom and hopelessness.
We didn’t just lecture them. We gave them an alternative outlet for their energy.
Through our expanded sports programs—football, netball, and fitness training—we taught discipline that doesn’t feel like punishment. On the pitch, you cannot steal a win; you have to earn it with teamwork. You cannot fight your own teammate; you have to support them.
“We have watched anger turn into athletic ambition. We have seen hands that used to take things now being used to build things. The greatest victory of 2024 isn’t just that these 50 youths have jobs; it’s that they have peace.”
A Safer Community for Everyone
The impact of changing 50 lives ripples outwards. When 50 young people are busy working or training, that is 50 fewer people getting into trouble on the streets.
Community elders have told us the atmosphere in certain zones has changed. There is less tension in the evenings. Mothers are less worried when their younger children are playing outside.
By investing in these 50 youths, we haven’t just helped them; we have paid a “peace dividend” to the entire community of Wakiso.
Looking Ahead to 2025
These 50 are proof of concept. They show that no young person is beyond redemption if they are given the right mix of opportunity, mentorship, and structured activity.
But they are just a fraction of the youth population here. As we look toward 2025, our goal is to take the model that worked for these 50 and scale it up. We need more coaches, more vocational tools, and more mentors to reach the hundreds still waiting on the sidelines.
2024 was a year of transformation. Let’s make 2025 a year of massive expansion.
We turned 50 potential problems into 50 powerful solutions. Now, we need to multiply that success.
Invest in peace. Invest in dignity. Help us expand our youth mentorship and sports programs in the coming year. Make a Year-End Donation to the Youth Empowerment Fund