The Search for Belonging: Solomon’s Journey

Identity gives us a sense of belonging. It answers the question, “Who am I?” For many young people, that answer is clear. For Solomon, it has always been uncertain.

Opio Solomon is 19 years old. His life has been shaped by one deep question: Where do I truly belong? His mother lives with a mental health condition and cannot explain the circumstances of his birth. As a result, Solomon grew up without knowing his father. He was raised by his aunt and her husband, who did their best to provide for him.

But growing up without clear answers left a wound. Watching his peers live with both parents and enduring hurtful labels created a quiet ache inside him. He longed for acceptance. That longing pushed him into a desperate search for his father. Along the way, some people took advantage of his vulnerability, promising information they never had.

After repeated disappointments and tension at home, Solomon left and began living on the streets of Gulu. Not because he preferred street life, but because he felt unwanted. On the streets, he found peers with similar stories. For a while, that felt like belonging.

In January, Solomon attended one of our sessions with friends. He kept coming back. He used the Safe Space to bathe and change. In a conversation with our social worker, he opened up about his story and shared his desire to return home if mediation could happen.

Our team traced his family to Roc Pabwo and organised a mediation meeting. His aunt spoke with emotion. She shared how painful it was when he left and reaffirmed her commitment to care for him as her own. “We may never know his father,” she said, “but we are his family, and we will stand by him.”

Solomon agreed to return home. He has since joined our agriculture training programme, where he is gaining practical skills while continuing counselling to process his past.

Solomon may never find the answers he once searched for. But in accepting what he may never know, he is beginning to embrace what he does have: a family willing to receive him and a future he is actively building.