Empowering communities to combat child labour: The Mwezze Hack

Mbale District, Uganda (ILO News) – In an inspiring display of creativity and collaboration, young people from vulnerable communities gathered the first Community Hackathon: Creativity and Collaboration to Combat Child Labour, a pioneering event aimed at developing innovative solutions to one of the world’s most pressing challenges: child labour.

Organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), ITCILO, and Nascent RDO, the event brought together youth, many of whom have experienced child labour firsthand, to share their stories, develop solutions, and work toward a future free from child exploitation.

This four-day hackathon, held from December 2 to December 5, 2024, marked the first-ever event of its kind, designed specifically for young people from vulnerable backgrounds. Through a unique combination of design thinking and hands-on collaboration, participants identified critical issues facing their communities, brainstormed actionable solutions, and created prototypes to address child labour’s root causes.

A platform for transformation

What made this hackathon stand out was its focus on transforming personal experiences into community-driven solutions. Participants—many of whom had faced adversity and seen the devastating effects of child labour in their communities—were encouraged to explore innovative, context-aware approaches to the challenges they identified. These ranged from the deep poverty that drives families to exploit child labour, to the harmful societal norms that devalue education and perpetuate cycles of early marriage and exploitation. The goal was to create solutions that not only tackle immediate problems but also foster long-term social and economic change.

The energy in the room was palpable as participants worked in teams to refine their ideas, offering feedback, building prototypes, and collaborating across cultural and linguistic barriers. One of the standout features of the event was the creativity displayed in the names the groups chose for themselves. From Young Fighters, symbolizing their unwavering commitment to ending child labour, to Yedana United, which reflects the spirit of helping each other, each name represented the essence of the group’s mission.

Dragon Hearth, inspired by the strength and courage of dragons, represented the participants’ belief in their ability to confront the challenges head-on, while Trust emphasized the importance of mutual support and collaboration. The groups embodied the power of collective action, all driven by the same goal: to end child labour in their communities.

Tackling root causes: A community perspective

Through the hackathon, the youth not only identified the direct impact of child labour but also examined its root causes. One of the most pressing issues highlighted was the role of poverty in driving families to make devastating choices for their children. Youth participants spoke about how financial hardship often leads to school dropouts, early marriages, and the exploitation of children in the workforce.

In a powerful discussion, participants shared their findings on domestic violence in their villages, another key issue raised was early marriages among girls, and alcohol abuse.

The event served as a reminder of the importance of empowering communities, to take charge of their own futures and become active participants in building solutions for their own problems. Through creativity, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the challenges they face, these youth are leading the way in the fight against child labour.