YY Okot Memorial College wins the Kitgum Regional Youth Heritage Competition

YY Okot Memorial College emerged victorious at the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda’s (CCFU) Regional Youth Heritage Competition held on 9 July 2026 at the Refugee Law Project grounds in Kitgum District.

Six schools with heritage clubs competed in the event: YY Okot Memorial College, Kitgum Comprehensive College (Main Campus), Kitgum Standard Secondary School, Rev. Jabulon Isoke Memorial College, Kitgum High School, and Kitgum Comprehensive College (Pager Campus).

Learners showcased their knowledge and appreciation of cultural heritage through traditional folk songs highlighting themes such as poverty, reconciliation, domestic violence, and rain-making rituals. They also performed traditional dances, including the vibrant Laka-raka and other courtship dances, participated in a debate on the motion “Traditional African cultures are better than Western cultures in promoting unity,” and competed in the traditional rope-skipping game, which symbolically teaches young people how to enter and leave communities respectfully without causing disruption.

After an impressive display across all categories, YY Okot Memorial College, a girls’ school, accumulated the highest score to claim the championship trophy and a cash prize of UGX 500,000.

The competition attracted a wide range of stakeholders, including school head teachers, teachers, cultural elders, representatives of Ker Kwaro Acholi, Kitgum District Local Government officials, parents, and members of the public.

Receiving the award, one of the teachers from YY Okot Memorial College described the victory as a testament to the commitment of both learners and staff.

“Our heritage club has become a space where learners gain confidence, appreciate who they are, and proudly share their culture with others. Winning this competition encourages us to continue investing in heritage education because it is shaping responsible and confident young people.” Mr. Michael Odong, Patron of the heritage club

One of the student participants said the experience had strengthened her pride in her cultural identity.

“Preparing for this competition taught us so much about our traditions and the values behind them. I now understand that our culture is something to celebrate, preserve, and pass on to future generations. Winning today makes us even prouder.”

In her remarks, Kitgum District Inspector of Schools, Awero Florence Oryem, commended CCFU for bringing the Heritage Education Programme to the district. She appealed for the programme to be expanded to more schools and called for the District Education Department to play a coordinating role in supporting heritage education initiatives across Kitgum.

Ahead of the competition, CCFU conducted support visits to all participating schools to engage heritage club members, assess the progress of their clubs, share ideas for improvement, and encourage greater participation in heritage-related activities.

Since 2020, CCFU has organised regional youth heritage competitions through its Heritage Education Programme to complement the National Youth Heritage Drawing and Painting Competition, which does not accommodate all forms of cultural expression. Similar competitions have been held in Soroti, Pakwach, Kabale, Mpigi, Mbarara, Jinja, Kabarole, and Nakasongola.

Beyond celebrating talent, the competitions promote peer learning among young people, raise the profile of heritage education across Uganda, and provide a platform for discussing important heritage issues while inspiring the next generation to value and safeguard their cultural heritage.