Youth. Empowered.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” What an incredible blessing it is to teach a man to fish. On my trip to Uganda last summer, I got to be a small part of some very powerful “Men of Integrity" training for the young men at our partner schools. Today, I was privileged to watch as some of those same young men stood up in front of the room and led the “Men of Integrity" training for their peers. Shortly afterward, I watched a courageous group of young women lead a "Women of Substance" training for their sisters. It is an incredible thing to see empowered youth empowering their peers.

As a mom of two, I know it is so easy to want to do everything for our children, but it isn’t until we let go of their hands that they are finally able to soar. I saw no small amount of soaring today. I watched as these young men and women told jokes and engaged the audience. I watched as they courageously tackled tough subjects with a maturity far beyond their years. And I watched as a captive audience of young men and women soaked in their every word. A handful of Men of Substance and Women of Integrity quickly turned into a roomful. And every person in that room left with tools they can use for a lifetime of integrity and substance.

It is such a privilege to be part of an organization that provides the young people of Uganda with so many of the tools they need to succeed. What an even greater privilege it is to know that at some point, the tools we’ve provided today will make our presence tomorrow unnecessary. Thank you, Fields of Dreams Uganda, for caring enough about the youth of this country to allow them a chance to soar all on their own.