For any teenager, getting out from under the watchful eye of their parents is the best part of the day. This is true of teenagers everywhere, and it’s true of youth in Oruchinga Refugee Settlement, too. But it’s also important that they have something to do with their time – something positive, productive, and fun.
Members of the Youth Center in Oruchinga knew just the thing – an activity they could use to spend quality time with friends, and to make a little extra money for their club.
Their idea? A pool table!
“A pool table has many uses,” said Cubaka, the president of the Youth Center. “We use it first to be together. But also we can pass positive messages to youth, things like HIV and preventing violence against women. Things that can be difficult to talk about, but that are said more easily while you’re playing a game like this.”
We couldn’t resist the way these kids’ eyes lit up when talking about the benefits of having a pool table! So for Day 70, we surprised them with one of their own.
Part of their plan is also to charge a small sum of money for each game – not enough to prevent young people from coming, but just enough to help boost their other activities.
“We can generate some income,” said Cubaka. “And this is something that will capture the attention of very many people. And we can help them find some fun. It’s win win.”
