RHU’s Daisy Kandole becomes International Advisory Committee Member

Reproductive Health Uganda’s (RHU), Youth Assistant will now serve as a member of an international youth advisory committee.

Daisy Kandole, was appointed to the International Youth Advisory Committee for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DMoFA) starting November 2021 until January 2023.

Kandole who has served as a volunteer at RHU since 2019, but is currently under the Youth Connect project, is strong-minded that young people the world over must claim and enjoy their sexual health and reproductive rights (SRHR’s).
“SRHR and young people cannot be separated if we are to develop. Currently, young people are self-motivated and must enjoy their SRHR’s. This calls for empowerment of the young people with SRHR information for them to make informed SRHR’s decisions.”

Kandole, who doubles as a youth action movement member (YAM) at RHU -Kampala, walked off competition from 800 applicants initially before only 20 persons were shortlisted for an online interview, in which she emerged victoriously.

The newly established DMoFA under its Youth At Heart Strategy aims at putting young people at the center of its international corporation. It comprises 10 young people drawn from across the 271 countries of the world with a cardinal role giving strategic guidance to programming, policy-making, and strategic partnerships for the Ministry for youth.

Jackson Chekweko, RHU Executive Director pledges the organization’s management support to Daisy Kandole, while saying “With consistent hard work, you will break the roof glass and reach the sky. We shall support you.”

RHU Gender, and Youth manager Quraish Matovu, believes that the appointment means RHU will continue to work with Kandole and other young people to champion SRHR’s at all levels.

In his congratulatory mail to Kandole, he was not shy to say “We are very impressed with you as a person, your vision, and your work! We are therefore looking forward to working with you in your new position.”

He says Kandole has supported various campaigns under the Advance Family Planning, Youth Connect, She Decides, Sprint and Right Here Right Now all championing access to SRHR’s among young people and the vulnerable in Uganda.

Kandole is not the first RHU – YAM member to be internationally recognized and appointed to serve on a youth committee. In 2016, Olgah Daphynne Namukuza, a 22-year-old former RHU Ugandan Executive Committee member and youth country coordinator for the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Alliance in Uganda, was elected as the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) regional representative for the Youth Action Movement after volunteering at Reproductive Health Uganda, a non-governmental organization (NGO) since she was a student.