Artists United for Children and Youth Development (AUCAYD)

2007 by Mohamed Samba Kamara aka Luxsonjay, AUCAYD is a youth-led, non-political, non-governmental and non-profit making organization registered with the Ministry of Education Youths and Sports (MYES), The Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs (MSWGCA), National Youth Commission (NAYCOM) and the Freetown City Council (FCC). OUR APPROACH
Children and youth are at the heart of everything AUCAYD does. AUCAYD works directly with children and youth from a range of backgrounds: school-going; out-of-school, drop-outs, street children and juvenile offenders. AUCAYD uses educational and creative platforms to help young people to realize their full potential. AUCAYD also works to create a supportive and protective environment for children and youth by working with their families, their communities, organizations and local governments. WHAT WE DO
1. Youth Radio: AUCAYD has been operating weekly child and youth-led radio programming since 2010. This year, AUCAYD has launched “Inside the Odo”, an intensive training program for youth that introduces participants to the principles of journalism, research and investigation, radio drama development and script writing. Youth Radio teams are then supported by AUCAYD to design, research, develop and produce their own radio shows that deal with issues affecting young people.

2. Educational Mentorship: Through the Education Connection Program AUCAYD has established 10 AUCAYD study clubs in 10 Freetown schools. AUCAYD trained 20 SS3 pupils to run the AUCAYD Study Clubs for JSS3 pupils who are faced with challenges in their academics. Through these study clubs 120 JSS3 Pupils are learning how to support each other, study effectively and manage their stress in order to help them achieve their best possible BECE result.

3. AUCAYD School Network (ASN) Weekend Program: Since 2009, AUCAYD have provided a fun and educational weekend program for over 300 students, representing over 35 Freetown schools. Regular programming includes Fun Days (indoor and outdoor games), Discussion Days (discussion of important issues affecting young people and the promotion of youth leadership), Creativity Days (including painting, dancing and song writing), and Recreational Days (fitness). AUCAYD have also trained over 700 students through the ASN on social issues such as child rights and environmental protection.

4. Boys and Girls Club: AUCAYD host a monthly boys and girls club where over 20 boys and 20 girls participate in facilitated, gender-separated discussions of issues affecting them in their daily life. AUCAYD provides a safe and supportive environment for children to share their experiences, support one another, and build their confidence to speak out.

5. Information Communication Technology (ICT) education: Over 80 students have been trained in IT skills at AUCAYD’s computer-equipped resource center, following AUCAYD’s ‘Basic Computer Skills’ curriculum. Children and youth have also learned basic video and audio skills through AUCAYD’s Audio Visual studios.

6. Community engagement and sensitization: Using edutainment, AUCAYD have engaged over 2,000 people from impoverished communities and slums in Freetown and Makeni through sensitizations and workshops on a range of social, health and human rights issues including hygiene, drug addiction, and reunification with juvenile offenders, road safety and environmental protection. AUCAYD have also trained out-of-school youth to conduct community assessments, design, develop and conduct community outreach programs using educative theatre and music, in an effort to empower youth to engage in the development of their local communities.

7. Career development for youth: In its efforts to improve the employability of young people, AUCAYD conducted a pilot workshop with 50 participants ranging from university and college students to civil society members and youth activists. AUCAYD plans to expand this work to provide guidance to young people seeking jobs.

8. Production of audio visual advocacy material – AUCAYD has a modern recording studio equipped with some of the leading technology available in Sierra Leone. We have composed, recorded, mixed, mastered and produced a wide range of professional audio and video advocacy materials for NGOs, UN agencies and independent artists. This has included the advocacy album ‘Give Some Little Love’ addressing issues such as sexual and reproductive health and early marriage, now available on iTunes; a jingle and video for UNICEF for global hand washing month; and a video promoting voting in elections which was broadcast on SLBC, Medo-Sat-TV and YouTube. WHERE WE WORK
AUCAYD is based in Freetown, and currently works in both eastern and western Freetown: Moa Wharf, Kanikay, Kroo Bay, Murray town, Congo Town Wharf and Savage Square. AUCAYD has also worked in Makeni and Binkoloh. WHO WE PARTNER WITH
AUCAYD have partnered with organizations and institutions that include War Child Canada, UNFAO, GOAL, UNICEF, UNV, VIONET, Restless Development, CCYA, Plan International, NAYCOM and UNIDO to deliver their programs to children and youth. EDUTAINMENT ENGAGEMENT & CONNECTION
EMPOWEMENT