Red Cross Youth Link

I was successful in creating a Red Cross Youth Link with the St. Noah’s Vocational School. I have registered my organization as an official Red Cross Youth Link. This includes a plaque of authentication for the office and a membership for each student which, once registered, provides them with a year membership. The chairperson and spokesperson from St. Gonzaga, a neighboring school, came and registered the kids that attend the St. Noah’s Vocational School. During the registration, the youth were informed about what Red Cross does and what it means to be a member. This was followed by a vote among them to form an executive committee. It was gender balanced and democratic. The executive committee wrote a six page constitution and signed it along with two witnesses. A folder is kept that includes all the minutes of all the meetings and the constitution. As a Red Cross Youth Link they are required to have a project. They must all contribute some money towards the project. Once it is started, we can fill out a requisition form to the headquarters in Kampala and they will help with the funding. We had a meeting to vote on what projects they wanted to undertake. I have been facilitating the newly formed Red Cross Youth Link with their chosen projects which include: Re-introduce rabbits to the area of Lyantonde and the surrounding sub counties as well as an agricultural project by where they will grow three different types of crops, including passion fruit trees. I had to reiterate multiple times that this is not about money and receiving tangible things right away but it is the experience and education of getting to participate and take it home to teach others. Additionally, they need Red Cross tee-shirts. We came to the consensus that each student is to pay 2,000 USH and the rest of the money is going to be fundraised in August. They had one last meeting before break in which they discussed what is lacking at their school and what they need to do to fix it. They also conversed about the projects that they are going to undertake and performed a cost/benefit analysis. They talked in length about how to raise the money and how much everything is going to cost.

When brainstorming possible projects for the Red Cross Youth Link Members to undertake, I had the opportunity to explain to them that in America we work with our hands and raise animals the same way they do. The youth had been under the impression that in America, everything was done by machines and that we did not have to work. I was able to share with them that many people, especially in the state that I come from people do not have electricity, running water, or farm equipment. They were shocked by this and it started an interesting discussion forum.

Furthermore, I have found it difficult to motivate the Youth Link Committee as well. I have discovered that I have to train a patron to take over when I leave and the process of doing so has been difficult due to lack of motivation and communication barriers.


Additionally, we were able to obtain a signpost that was donated to us and the painting was done for free from a fellow Red Cross Youth Link Member who attends St. Gonzaga, a neighboring secondary school. We were then able to have a ceremony of posting it by the road! The signpost for the St. Noah’s Vocational School Red Cross Youth Link now sits comfortably at the end of the driveway to my organization for all who passes through to see.