“For Every Child, Every Right!” is the theme for World Children’s Day 2023, which is today, 20^th November. Also known as Universal Children’s Day, it is a day of remembrance of:

“The unwavering commitment to ensuring that all children, regardless of their background or circumstances, are afforded the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.”

News 18

I find that in Uganda there is a tendency to put too much focus and resources into formal education as the means through which a child can thrive and reach its full potential. Whereas, formal education is important, it is just but one way in which a child may thrive and reach its full potential.

Reflecting back on my own journey, a lot of stuff that I learned through formal education I have since forgotten. It hardly, if ever, comes into play on how I have lived and continue to live my day-to-day life.

And, instead, a lot of what I learnt informally and especially so through experiencing the world is what enables me to thrive and reach my full potential. My informal learning and memories of my stay in Edinburgh, the Capital of Scotland, from 1989 to 1992, case in point, I still hold dear over thirty years later.

I was in Edinburgh studying for my first degree at Queen Margaret College (now university). Unlike most of the other African students that I interacted with at Queen Margaret, my education was privately funded by my late father. Irrespective of that, I benefited from arrangements that were put in place for all international students.

One such arrangement was to experience family life with families of Scotland. I do not recall a family that I visited in which I did not feel so warmly welcome. Our host families opened up their homes to us as though we were their older children coming home from college to visit.

Simple things like children, I have met for the first time, taking a shinning and interest in me – coming up to me, jumping on my lap and giving me hugs were so powerful in nurturing human connections that have had life long positive impact.

I remember feeling part of the family when I was involved in preparing meal. My simple role could be just to slice up the ingredients that were used to make a salad. But in doing so, I was part of the conversation with the host family.

If my memory serves me right, our host families went the extra mile to pick us up from college to visit with them and safely returned us back after the visit. If we had to take a bus or train, they would be at the bust stop and or the train station to meet us. Their compassion and humanity cultivated my belief that most people are good people.

And most people are good, because of how we have been nurtured and socialized – how we have experienced the world. I wish for all children to have the opportunity to receive guests and or to travel and experience the life of others not from their own community – religion, ethnic group, race, etc.; and do so in a positive way.

Happy World Children’s Day 2023.

Profiled photo @ author on a family visit in Edinburgh in Scotland in 1991.

“November 20^th was the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. On the same day in 1989, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.” Save The Children US