A heart for the little ones

Happy new month to all of you!!! 

Thank you once again for being a great audience. You make us what we are 🤗

This September we continue to feature more amazing people and their stories. Our belief is that you feel inspired to spread your wings to greater horizons.

Meet Bwanika Charles: A living proof that humanity is about living beyond self.

Bwanika Charles is a seasoned child rights activist with experience in Community development . 

He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies (BDS) from Ndejje University Kampala, Uganda and numerous post graduate trainings with special interest in Child Protection issues. 

He is also a 2018 YALI fellow from Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Centre in Nairobi and the current Alumni Chapter of Uganda Communications Chair.

Charles is the co-founder and Chief of strategy of a non profit organization called Giving Children Hope Initiative (GCHI), a chief technical officer and Co-founder of a community school called Hope Children’s School based in Mityana, 

Charles is also the Founder & CEO of Farm Kiosk, an agribusiness social enterprise that uses both a web portal and mobile app as service channels to bridge the  gaps at different agribusiness value chain points. This is done to to create a boaderless agribusiness space.

 

Charles says : Before I initiated all those afromentioned projects. I worked as a research assistant at Winsor Consult Development Consultants.

Here is his story, it is breathtaking and worth the read:

 

What ignited your love for children projects? 

After struggling to make my way through high school like many other African children,  I was offered a chance to volunteer at Winsor Consult Development Consultants before I joined the university.

It was not long ago that I was turned into a field research assistant in 2008. Winsor was the birth of many opportunities to traverse various parts of the country on different consultancy projects.

 It was during this time that I dinned with vulnerable children in the forgotten corners of Uganda.

I vividly remember my passion of working and inspiring young people especially the underprivileged children being elevated in Dokolo district.

During a prison visit, I found women convicts living with their infant children of ages as low as 4years.  Having had a tough childhood, I imagined how life would be  inside a prison cell.

I left Dokolo with my mind made up: to start a wholly children's project. I did not  have all the necessary resources at that time and so I ended up co-founding a children’s focused organization called Giving Children Hope Initiative(GCHI) 4years later.

Can you tell us about the impact Giving  Children Hope Initiative has made ever  since it's inception or your impact in the organization?

From 2012, Giving Children Hope Initiative(GCHI) has made a significant and exceptional difference in the lives of thousands of young people.

 Through our initiated community programs,  which include a community school called Hope Children’s School, 1,200 vulnerable children in Mityana and the surrounding areas have been mentored.

 Boys and girls passionate about sports have equally been coached through our  Hope Sports Academy. They have later on participated in the annual organized sports gallas.

I have initiated a number of school programs such as  a schools outreach program dubbed Discovering Defining and Presenting yourself to Opportunities (DDPO). The program has taken me to many schools inspiring both in and out of school children .

A mentoring 5Cs  model that emphasizes equipping children with Creativity, Curiosity, Collaboration, Critical -thinking and Communication skills.

Other programs that I have put forward include the Youth Mentoring Clubs (YMCs) and  Girl Child Mission (GCM). 

Over the years,  Giving Children Hope Initiative has  teamed up with Women World Summit Foundation (WWSF) to organize annual activism campaigns for prevention of abuse and violence against children and youth.

 In 2014 and 2016, we were recognized as  the best global innovative campaigners in  because of our strategies of reaching out to young people.

Charles asserts :  These campaigns have  seen me interface with thousands of young people on air  and in communities hence inspiring and mentoring many.

What are some of  challenges you have met in your journey of inspiring the young people?

Just like any journey in life challenges have always been and will always be part of the equation. 

Personally I have met quite a number of challenges from those who where pulling me down because they doubted my vision, limited team players and  operational resources.

 All these challenges, have made me nimble and robust and I have been going till today.

Looking back at your past years in humanitarian work, Do you see yourself as an achiever?

I can confidently say i have made an outstanding and exceptional difference in bettering lives of thousands of young people in the last 8years.

 Through interactions with the community, I have helped hundreds of parents and caregivers understand the value of education and the importance of raising responsible children. 

As a result of the mentorship trainings,  both in and out of school children have  identified their life passions at such tender ages. 

My role as  Co-founder and y in Chief of Strategy at Giving Children Hope Initiative(GCHI) has positioned me a team leader on community projects that have been funded by Mildmay Uganda, UWEZO TWAWEZA East Africa, HER Voice Fund and PEPFAR .

All these  projects have shaped thousands of young people’s lives in Uganda mainly in the central region.

 

What message would you tell the young see that would love to do what you are doing?

  Seize the moment, identify your life's purpose and chase after your passions.

 COVID 19 has just revealed the prediction we had for the future world earlier than we expected so be willing to start small, invest in yourself, we are living in an information era,  teach yourself a new skill whenever you can.

 Look for volunteer opportunities and craft your unique identity so that people can associate with you because of who you are:  for example my identity is consistency and integrity.

Bwanika Charles

Uganda.