“You can, we can”: How the Olu Alu campaign continues to transform youth and communities in northern Uganda

These are the words of Mourine, a 21-year-old youth leader from Arua in Uganda’s West Nile region and capture the spirit of Olu Alu. Olu Alu means “you can, we can” in the Madi language, commonly spoken in Arua’s Moyo and Obongi districts.

It’s a youth-led initiative that supports young people – particularly young women – to remain engaged in education, challenge harmful social and gender norms and develop the leadership skills needed to drive positive change within their communities.

Olu Alu began three years ago in the Moyo and Obongi districts and later expanded to Arua City and Yumbe, driven by young people who recognised that the challenges they faced were shared across districts.

In the West Nile region, which borders South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, communities face multiple structural challenges that affect young people’s quality of life. The area’s complex history of conflict and displacement, combined with underinvestment in schools and youth services, has left young people particularly vulnerable. These challenges are compounded by climate shocks such as extreme heat and seasonal flooding, and by the region hosting a large refugee population. At the same time, funding cuts have forced many organisations to scale back or leave the region, reducing support for development programmes across the board.

Vivian, a 24-year-old youth leader, shared how Olu Alu created a new sense of responsibility and possibility for young people, particularly those at risk of dropping out of school. Through conversations about peer influence and education, she began to reflect on her own family and realised the impact she could have beyond herself.

For both Mourine and Vivian, the challenges confronting young people in their communities are widespread and interconnected, from school dropouts, early marriage, unplanned teenage pregnancy, substance use, gender-based violence and stigma around menstruation. These challenges are fueled by gender norms that limit girls’ access to education and prevent youth from participating fully in community life.

Rather than addressing these issues in isolation, Olu Alu created safe spaces for young people to speak openly with peers, carry these discussions into their homes, and engage parents, teachers and local leaders in finding solutions.

Before stepping into their roles, youth leaders participated in trainings that helped them build the facilitation skills needed to discuss sensitive topics within their communities. These sessions emphasised listening, reflection, and shared responsibility, helping young people understand their role as community connectors and role models. With this model, youth were able to confidently create and sustain spaces for dialogue rooted in trust and mutual respect.

Youth leaders in Olu Alu led a variety of activities to reach their communities. They delivered messages through music, drama, debates and even radio episodes broadcast by boda-bodas – motorcycle taxis widely used across East Africa, particularly in Uganda. These locally relevant approaches helped the campaign reach people in their daily routines, creating opportunities for conversation and reflection.

The radio programme alone reached over 1.5 million people. Meanwhile, more than 1,150 youth – 466 boys and 687 girls – actively participated in school debates and community activities, reaching over 5,000 students with messages about education, reproductive health and gender equality.

The Olu Alu song, which is available on YouTube (above), emphasises unity, repeating the chorus of “I can, we can, come together as one, Olu Alu!”. Throughout the campaign, each Olu Alu leader and participant played the song to at least one other person to spread the message as far and wide as possible.

As Mourine and Vivian demonstrate, the campaign was largely led by young women. They have become champions within their communities, sharing what they learned with hundreds of peers and inspiring many young people. These efforts sparked conversations at home as well, with parents and caregivers often reaching out to the youth leaders for advice on how to better support their children. One parent even asked where to find the girls performing the Olu Alu song, wanting to watch the accompanying video – a small but telling sign of how the community was embracing change.

Being part of Olu Alu has helped youth across the West Nile region to develop lasting skills applicable in other areas of life. Mourine describes how the campaign changed the way she engages with her community, “Nowadays I don’t have fear to speak in front of people… [Olu Alu] has made me become a leader anywhere I go.”

Discussions encouraged young women to recognise their voice and agency, as Mourine reflects, “There are women who thought they were voiceless, whose husbands had run over their choices. But now they see that what a man can do, a woman can also do. They realised they have a say in Uganda and in the world, and that by speaking up about what hurts them, they can make change happen.”

Mourine and Vivian have noticed visible shifts in their communities, including reductions in early marriages and drug use, more open communication within families, increased parental support and stronger peer support networks. Importantly, youth-led initiatives have continued beyond the end of the programme’s support, with young people continuing dialogue, offering guidance to peers and stepping in when support is needed.

The Olu Alu Campaign demonstrates the power of trusting youth to lead change in their own communities – as well as to transform their own lives – as Vivian says,

“Olu Alu has changed me, and I will keep changing others. Now, when there’s a problem, parents can call on us – we listen, guide, and help bring their minds closer to understanding and solutions.”

This article was written by Joy Stalteri-Roberts, an AKF Canada International Youth Fellow who is currently working in Uganda.

Olu Alu is a sub-project of the Adolescent Girls’ Education in Crisis Initiative (AGENCI) and Foundations for Education and Empowerment programme (F4EE), funded through Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and implemented in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) Uganda and Restless Development. While the formal funding cycle concluded in 2025, youth leaders continue to engage with adolescents in their communities, sustaining dialogue and mentoring their peers.