Voices of Resilience

Voices of Resilience is a transformative storytelling initiative that empowers street-connected children and youth in Gulu to reclaim their identity, heal from trauma, and become advocates for change. Many of these young people have experienced poverty, neglect, displacement, substance dependency, and the lasting effects of conflict. Through storytelling, they are given a safe space to process their experiences, rebuild confidence, and imagine a future beyond life on the streets.

The project, implemented by Hashtag Gulu Initiative with support from Restless Development under the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective, combines story therapy, creative expression, forum theatre, family mediation, and digital storytelling to amplify young people’s voices while challenging the stigma they face. By engaging families, communities, media, and policymakers, Voices of Resilience promotes understanding, encourages reconciliation, and supports the successful reintegration of children and young people into their families and communities. 

Beyond individual healing, the project drives social change by using personal stories to influence public attitudes and strengthen advocacy for more inclusive policies that protect and support street-connected children and youth.