Diana Maria Mukanzanira, an African UN Youth Delegate for Uganda, advocates for youth and child rights in her native Uganda. The African UN Youth Delegate and Representative Program (AUNYD) is organized by the non-profit organization CRISP – Crisis Simulation for Peace e.V. and its partners, and trains and supports young leaders from six East African countries to build skills, regional networks, and a shared vision for youth representation at the United Nations General Assembly.

Diana’s motivation for public service came from community life, informal learning spaces, and close interaction with children whose access to education, she says, was limited.  She traces her values to her upbringing and cultural background, in the community she grew up in female leadership was encouraged early, she says.

Within her family, advocacy was modeled through action. She recalls watching her mother intervene when children were mistreated or denied education.

Later, living in an informal settlement in Kampala, reinforced lessons about shared responsibility.

“As a person who has grown up in the slums of Kamwokya we needed each other,” she explains. 

Yet, the experience that shaped her long-term focus on children’s education occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. With schools closed, Diana and her younger sister began tutoring children in their neighborhood to earn an income but also out of boredom,” she says.

Parents struggled to pay even a small amount, she recalls. “Yet there was need for the children to learn.”

Then one child, in particular, stood out.

A10-year-old “who [could] hardly identify letters and rhyme to the alphabet,” she says. “That was the defining moment for my dedication to children.”

That moment changed her focus from temporary support to long-term engagement with education and child development.

Milandila Emito Children Development Foundation

The gaps she observed during the pandemic contributed to her decision to establish Milandila Emito Children Development Foundation.

“The inaccessibility of inclusive equitable quality education in under-resourced communities inspired me to start the organization,” she says.

The name Milandila Emito comes from Luganda and means “young roots.”

“I chose that name because I imagine a world where children are given the right skills and knowledge at that age,” she explains. “We would curb very many issues youths are facing currently.”

She identified several systemic gaps she wanted to address, including limited access to inclusive education in both government and private schools, poor monitoring of schools, neglect of parental involvement, and lack of hands-on skills for children.

“These gaps affect children very early,” she notes.

One of the foundation’s key initiatives is ‘Chapter Chat’, a literacy development programme implemented in schools and communities.

The programme includes reading sessions, book drives, and parent engagement dialogues.

“With this project we have had over 10 children go back to school,” she explains. “We have improved literacy levels of over 300 children in different communities.”

Running a youth-led organization focused on children presents consistent challenges.

“Funding has been my biggest challenge,” she says. 

Her response has been to work with limited resources while seeking partnerships.

“We use the little resources we have,” she says. “We keep applying for grants and leverage partnerships with children-focused organizations.”

Diana’s work with children expanded into behavioral therapy after she worked as a classroom assistant supporting children with special needs in 2022. “I got an opportunity to study a short course in Applied Behavioral Analysis,” she explains. “That’s how I became a para behavioral therapist.”

International exposure

Diana’s wider international exposure came in 2024 through the African UN Youth Delegates programme.

“My journey with AUNYD started in 2024 when I saw a call for application,” she says.

After a vetting process, 20 fellows were selected in Uganda.

“We had a training about the UN and how we can leverage UN opportunities to advocate for youth issues,” she explains.

She and one other fellow were selected to represent Ugandan youth internationally.

“I and a male colleague were chosen to represent Ugandan youth at the global stage,” she says.

The most significant lesson she took from UN- and AU-linked youth platforms was the importance of dialogue across generations.

“Intergeneration dialogues are key for youth to unlearn, learn, and relearn,” she says.

She believes youth voices are present in global spaces but not fully acted upon.

“Yes, I feel youth voices are heard,” she says. “However, our views are not implemented.”

She sees diplomacy as connected to community work.

“Diplomacy is more of negotiations, speaking of solutions and impact of the grassroots activism,” she explains. 

A conversation on artificial intelligence at the BBC Africa Town Hall in collaboration with the United Nations shaped new thinking around ‘Chapter Chat’.

“We are looking at ways we can use AI to compile stories created by children, read for children too and translate to local language,” she says.

Service and identity

For Diana, service is about empowerment.

“Service is not just about providing help,” she says. “It is about empowering people to realize their own potential.”

Asked what it means to be an African youth today:

“An African youth today is one trying to navigate different systems of the world while keeping their roots, culture and values.”

Follow Africa Renewal’s Youth Series spotlighting young Africans who are driving change in their communities and beyond. Through their stories, we celebrate the energy, resilience, and resolve of these young people—and the powerful impact they are making. #youthinaction