Through breakdancing, Kaweesi inspires young people in
Uganda. Mark Kaweesi's upbringing in the Kiyembe, Kansanga, slums of Kampala
did not stop him from achieving his goals.
The 33-year-old breakdance enthusiast has reached new
heights by demonstrating and imparting exciting breakdance routines to young
people in various parts of Uganda.
Today, Kaweesi is the driving force behind Imagination
Circle Limited, a social organization that tries to identify gifted youngsters
and aid in their development by helping them realize their potential and learn
how to maximize their abilities and talents.
Additionally, he is the mastermind behind Breakfast-Jam
Fest, an annual celebration of breakdancing, hip-hop, creativity, the arts, and
urban culture with roots in Uganda.
Kaweesi has made a difference in a nation where
unemployment rates have been persistently high for the past ten years by using
his breakdancing abilities to inspire young people from all walks of life.
Despite having a particular interest in playing football as
a child, Kaweesi claims he never had the opportunity to do so for a variety of
reasons, including corruptible football coaches.
"I desired to play football. That was my true love.
But I had a lot of challenges to overcome as I was growing up. I was a young
child when my parents passed away. I consequently resided in Kiyembe, Kansanga,
a slum. Due to a lack of funds, I left school when I was in secondary school.
In addition, I did not have a regular residence. Sometimes, I would stay at
friends' homes, he claims.
I believed in soccer and would make time to train, he
continues. Our coach was a good person but didn’t earn a living from coaching
football, so, some of my young friends who had parents would influence their
parents to give him some money to play instead of me. Because of corruption, I
rarely got a chance to play football. This really frustrated me."
Kaweesi discovered breakdancing after his friend Kibuuka
Mukisa persuaded him to enroll in the Breakdance Project Uganda program at the
Sharing Youth Center Nsambya.
Although he had second thoughts about participating in the
breakdance project, he claims that his opinion of it was altered once he
realized that it was a location where a large number of individuals were
training, exchanging skills, and learning a lot about the dancing without
paying anything. He was encouraged to keep up his breakdance training after
seeing he could contribute as well.
"Everyone is a teacher and a pupil, according to the
paradigm. So you come today and pick up a few things, and then the next day
someone else arrives, and you pass on what you learned to them what you learned
as you continue learning. This concept really inspired me," he says.
Kaweesi discovered breakdancing after his friend Kibuuka
Mukisa persuaded him to enroll in the Breakdance Project Uganda program at the
Sharing Youth Center Nsambya.
Although he had second thoughts about participating in the
breakdance project, he claims that his opinion of it was altered once he
realized that it was a location where a large number of individuals
were training, exchanging skills, and learning a lot about
the dancing without paying anything. He was encouraged to keep up his
breakdance training after seeing he could contribute as well.
"Everyone is a teacher and a pupil, according to the
paradigm. So you come today and pick up a few things, and then the next day
someone else arrives, and you pass on what you learned to them what you learned
as you continue learning. This concept really inspired me," he says.
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