Uta Community Center

Vital Stats

Sarah W

Washington, DC

People Doing It0

The Problem

People in Uta, South Africa live on less than $2 a day, but by their spirit, you would never know it. Vibrant in the community is the love of soccer, of dancing, and of life. Yet the high rate of HIV/AIDS, lack of access to health care, and high unemployment rate leaves little opportunity for political, social, and economic empowerment for men, women, and children.

Plan of Action

I built a connection with the Uta community as a Global Development Intern with the Student Movement for Real Change in the Summer of 2008. As a GDI, I worked in the pre-school, primary school, and high school, running youth camps, building library capacity, teaching computer lessons, and tutoring English. Most importantly, I fostered a love for the community and a relationship with many of the Uta residents. I was able to learn about the community and hear first hand about its needs for the future. Uta's greatest desire was for a place that the community could create opportunities for itself, especially focused on the opportunities for youth that are currently missing in Uta. As a Global Development Fellow, I am partnering with a local youth to develop this project and to make the Uta Community Center a reality.