Reach A Hand Uganda has launched a new platform aimed at fostering meaningful cross-generational dialogue, with the inaugural Koi Koi Fireside Conversations held on Friday at the organisation’s Lugujja headquarters in Kampala.
Held under the theme “Stories of 18–30-year-olds in the 1990s,” the event brought together young people and senior citizens to share lived experiences through the traditional fireside conversation format, encouraging open discussion across generations.
The initiative is part of Threads of Legacy, a Reach A Hand Uganda programme that uses creative and culturally rooted approaches to connect people of different ages, preserve shared values, and address critical issues such as sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among young adults.
“Young people wouldn’t be who they are without the leadership of parents, guardians and grandparents who hold them up as they grow. This is why Threads of Legacy is necessary now,” said Linda Musiime, the organisation’s Head of Strategy.
Several well-known personalities attended the event, including Sam Bagenda, Halima Namakula, Benon Kibuuka, Fauziah Nakiboneka, Charles Ssekubunge and Alysious Joy Matovu.
Discussions during the fireside conversations explored how earlier generations navigated issues such as hygiene, menstruation, puberty and relationships, often in environments where information was limited and such topics were rarely discussed openly.
“Back in the day, everything concerning SRHR was never displayed openly to the young, despite the fact that we had less information regarding our reproductive health,” veteran musician Halima Namakula noted.
Participants also reflected on how approaches to these issues differ today, with young people having more access to information but still facing stigma, silence and misinformation.
“It is important to teach the young generation information around sexual and reproductive health because it gives them a chance to understand what is right or wrong,” said Ashiraf Kanunu. “When we protect young people from knowing this information out of fear that they will make mistakes, it instead makes them want to find out what is being hidden.”
Reach A Hand Uganda noted that in urban settings like Kampala, many young people rarely live with their grandparents, who often reside in rural areas. This separation has weakened the transfer of intergenerational knowledge, leaving young people to rely heavily on peers or social media for guidance, sometimes resulting in misconceptions around SRHR.
Senior citizens at the event welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful.
“It is an important step in empowering young people, sharing knowledge and building stronger, informed communities,” said Sam Bagenda.
Reach A Hand Uganda is a youth-led non-profit organisation that empowers young people through advocacy, awareness campaigns and community engagement, focusing on sexual and reproductive health and rights, education, mental health, gender equality and economic empowerment.
