By Irene Best Nyapendi
Paul Ssenyonga, a recipient of Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration, is using his education and real-world experiences to make a difference.
One part of his story involves his help to pregnant and parenting teens because of his first-hand observation when living with a teenage relative who impregnated a 16-year-old girl. Ssenyonga saw lack of financial livelihood, community shunning and fear of hospitals as among the challenges of this early, unwed pregnancy. Still a student himself, Ssenyonga offered emotional support, reinforcement of the importance of antenatal care and chipped in what little money he had to help the young boy and girl.
Ssenyonga, 27, says the obstacles the girl faced opened his eyes to the trials of other teenage mothers.
Amidst the challenges, Ssenyonga saw an opportunity to empower teen mothers, first, starting with the 16-year-old who was carrying the baby. Together, with the soon-to-be-father, they empowered 17 youths to make paper bags and liquid soap with the hope that a skill like that would support the livelihood of the teens, a majority of whom had dropped out of school.
The success of that first venture inspired Ssenyonga to register Save A Youth, a non-profit organization, in 2019. His intention was for the organization to help more people, beyond just teenage mothers.
In 2020, Ssenyonga says he found out that many young people were struggling with challenges related to drug addiction and sexual promiscuity, something he says presented an opportunity for him to continue making a difference in the community.
Fortunately, he had taken an addiction therapy course, which he used to his advantage while interacting with the young people.
In addition to his work with the non-profit, Ssenyonga also serves humanity as a Rotaractor, aligning with his belief that generosity begets positive response from nature. Serving as the President of the Rotaract Club of Mukono from July 2022 to June 2023, Ssenyonga supported Mukono General Hospital to acquire a fully-equipped teen mother facility through the Mukono Rotary Club.
He also mobilized the painting of a zebra crossing (pedestrian crosswalk) on a road near Mukono General Hospital.
And that’s not all.
Ssenyonga also offers voluntary service to Buganda, Uganda’s biggest traditional kingdom. In Buganda, he is in charge of publicity in Kyaggwe county, one of the divisions of the kingdom.
“Serving the king isn’t a paid assignment because we are responsible for the wellbeing of our king,” Ssenyonga, who is a master of ceremonies, said. He says his devotion to the kingdom is the most fulfilling experience of his life. It’s not just a job for him, it’s a calling that goes beyond financial compensation.
Born to Nathan Kigongo and Catherine Namutebi of Mukono district, Ssenyonga is the first of five siblings. He attended Little Cranes Primary School, Kanjuki Secondary School, and Paul Mukasa Senior School. All the three schools are found in central Uganda.
Despite his parents’ initial desire for him to study law, Ssenyonga chose social work at UCU.
“I chose UCU for its clearly defined values-based system,” Ssenyonga said. “I pursued social work to impact the community, inspired by my transformation from a stubborn high school student. I aspired to assist someone like the past me, bringing a professional touch to school talks.”
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