Divinity Matovu Announces Suspension of AGYA Operations - UPDATED

Dear AGYA Friends & Supporters,

It has been more than two years since I formally announced my decision to step away from my position as Executive Director of the Amagezi Gemaanyi Youth Association, an organization I co-founded in 2008. As I stated then, I am so proud of everything AGYA accomplished in just 3 years, including impacting more than 2,000 Ugandan youth through initiatives like the AGYA Girls Program,  the Recording Our Dreams Studio, Reel Talk: Confronting Global Gender Disparities Through Digital Media as well as exciting partnerships with great institutions like TOMS Shoes, One Laptop Per Child, and the University of Southern California. 

Due to challenges with achieving financial and organizational sustainability, AGYA's programming was suspended in 2012. Although these challenges hindered us from being able to fully implement the "Reel Talk" program, our leadership team learned some key lessons that have helped us transition into other ventures. In reflecting on what we built with AGYA, this Wayne Gretzky quote comes to mind: 

For all those who supported our vision for this organization as well as the youth who helped us create something special in Kampala, thank you. Thank you for your support and for sharing our strong belief that youth have the potential and power to be the main drivers of social change, ethical leadership, and economic development in Africa in the 21st Century.

Links to our official website: agyainternational.org as well as the "Donate" link on this Blog are no longer functional but we will keep this blog posted so you can share in celebrating the successes AGYA experienced from 2008-2011. AGYA's Facebook and Twitter pages will also remain functional.

For updates on the latest happenings of AGYA's co-founders who continue to share a passion for poverty alleviation and youth development in Africa, contact:

• Divinity Matovu: 
• www.divinitymatovu.com 
• www.matovuconsulting.com

• Abraham Matovu:
• abraham.amagezi@gmail.com

Onward and Upward,


Divinity Matovu

AGYA to Partner with Los Angeles-based, ImMEDIAte Justice for Girls Media Training Program in Uganda

AGYA is thrilled to announce our partnership with ImMEDIAte Justice (IMJ), an organization devoted to revolutionizing sex education through filmmaking. IMJ operates in California and empowers young women of color with the knowledge and skills "to generate new images of reproductive freedom that inspire community action and global dialogue." IMJ and AGYA will work collaboratively to implement Reel Talk: Confronting Global Gender Disparities Through Digital Media an AGYA project funded by UN-Habitat as part of their Youth Fund Initiative.  

Reel Talk aims to train 48 teen girls to use film, digital media and photography as a platform to provide girls ages 15-20 with the training, artistic license and communication skills to transform attitudes and behaviors about critical gender issues among disadvantaged youth living in urban poverty in Kampala.  

AGYA & TOMS Shoes Announce Long-Term Partnership

AGYA is pleased to inform all our supporters about a new long-term partnership with TOMS Shoes, a company based in Santa Monica, CA. TOMS Shoes has contributed a container of new shoes to AAH to support our youth education and outreach programs.

Help AGYA Raise $4,000 by End of 2011

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Just click on the link above to cast your vote for AGYA International! We want to secure 1,500 votes by Tuesday 22 November.

AGYA Presents "Where We Work" Video

The latest AGYA video features images of the community where we work. Much of the footage was shot by AGYA Youth Leader Happy Namutebi. Enjoy!