Environmental Sustainability

ChildFund in partnership with Lango Child and Community Development Federation (LACCODEF) and Partners for Children Worldwide (PfCW) with support from The Coca Cola Foundation have supported 440 women, teenage mothers and youth with agri-business skills to enable them increase their household incomes.

The participants have been undergoing training for 15 months since September 2022.

According to Olive Bridget Among, the Project Officer for Women and Youth Economic Empowerment Project, the project was designed to respond to the effects of high teenage pregnancy brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, low-income levels of women as well as unemployment among youth in Lango and Teso sub-regions.

The project targeted 440 participants from districts of Serere, Katakwi, Amuria and Dokolo.

Among said the program participants included 100 teenage mothers, 100 youth on empowerment through micro-enterprise development skills and reaching out to a total of 240 women aged 20-60 years. She noted that the project has helped the participants to increase their income from agribusiness skills.

Among shows the guests some of the participants’ creations.

Anna Aanyu of Akum Village Guyaguya Sub County Katakwi District, also a P7 drop out, says the intervention has helped her to take care of her family. “I have gained skills on how to make bags, shoes, doormats, table mats, bangles and necklaces that have helped her get out of poverty,” Aanyu said.

Agnes Ileka, a mother from Ajaki Parish, Apeduru Sub County testifies that life was initially hard but when she was selected to benefit from the program, she can ably take care of her family. She urged her fellow participants to utilise the skills and funds to help them in the near future.

Shoe exhibits made by program participants.

Moses Opoo, the program officer at PfCW asked participants to utilise the skills gained to enable them manage their livelihoods and improve on their household incomes. “Whereas the main part of the grant is ending, the program shall continue. We shall not leave you. We only ask that you use the skills gained to support others,” he said.

Francis Oluma, the LCIII chairperson, Apeduru Sub County commended PfCW for helping vulnerable people saying it supplements the government’s efforts in eliminating and fighting poverty.

Martin Sijje Odipo, ChildFund Uganda’s Partnership Specialist who represented the Country Director at the event said the support has helped uplift the participants. He appealed to several stakeholders to work together in a move aimed at ending teenage pregnancies.

Odipo speaking during the event.

The Coca Cola Foundation donated $150,000 while ChildFund donated $15,000. Amuria district LCV Moses Emabu hailed PfCW for the support while noting that despite the COVID-19 shock, they remained active and managed to impact the lives of teenagers.

Overall Impact 

The impact of the project on the 440 youth has been nothing short of remarkable, as evidenced by the significant improvements in their annual income. Through a combination of skills development, environmental sustainability practices, and economic diversification, the project has far exceeded its initial targets. The results are striking:

• Teenage mothers saw an extraordinary 4,345% increase in their annual income.
• Youth participants experienced an 810% increase in their income.
• Children involved in the program also saw a substantial income rise of 1,078%.
  

These outcomes underscore the success of the program in improving livelihoods and creating sustainable economic opportunities for women, teenage mothers, and youth in the Lango and Teso sub-regions.

The project was based on the simple yet powerful premise that if youth were equipped with the right skills and resources, they would not only be able to meet their basic needs but also invest in their future. As they gained skills in agribusiness, micro-enterprise development, and environmental sustainability, they were empowered to save money, expand their businesses, and build their self-resilience.

More exhibits made by program participants