Youth Development

Last week, a total of 77 youth in Busia district were equipped with startup kits after completing a six-month long training in a range of vocational disciplines to kick start their entrepreneurial journeys.

The comprehensive training encompassed local artisanry, hairdressing, tailoring, masonry, carpentry, driving, motorcycle repair, and motor vehicle mechanics. Beyond vocational skills, the initiative included crucial education on entrepreneurship and comprehensive adolescent reproductive health.

The initiative, done by Busia Area Communities Federation (BUACOFE) with support from ChildFund, did not only provide the youth with vocational skills but also entrepreneurship and comprehensive adolescent reproductive health education.

The graduation event which took place at Bukwekwe Primary School in Lumino Majanji Town Council, Busia saw youth who trained in hairdressing walk away with a range of products including hair blowers, hand driers, towels, combs, chairs, mirrors, sinks, tray stands and hair braids.

 Otai speaking shortly after handing over a set of salon equipment to Eseza Muwanguzi (with baby) 

Those that completed tailoring were given tailoring machines, scissors, tape measures, sewing threads, hand sewing needles and lubricating oil.

Similarly, youth trained in motorcycle repair and motor vehicle mechanics walked away with ring spanners, screw drivers, clip pliers, allen keys, tyre levers, hammers, pliers, hack saws, wire brushes, oil and grease guns, among other products.

The youth that got trained in welding and Metal Fabrication took home items such as welding plant machines locally fabricated with oil, hand grinders, electrical hand drills, ball hammers and double layer welding googles.

Otai, highlighted the significance of empowering youth with skills, aligning with government initiatives to combat unemployment and poverty. Emphasizing the youth’s role in transforming the country, Otai urged the training of young mothers and boys to equip them with valuable skills and prevent engagement in negative behaviors.

Otai speaking during the event.

He added that there was need to train the young girls who got pregnant during the COVID-19 lockdown to enable them earn a living.

“Let us not sentence teenage mothers back to a life of staying home with no skills. But also we need to empower the boys with the right skills to remain productive and to avoid getting into bad behaviours such as drugs and substance abuse,” Otai explained.

Otai advised those seeking gainful employment in cities and out of the country to ensure they equip themselves with skills that will enable them gain employment wherever they move.

Michael Kibwika, the RDC Busia district, commended BUACOFE and ChildFund for their impactful youth skilling initiatives, aligning with the government’s job creation efforts. He congratulated the graduates, recognizing the potential for their skills to bring about socio-economic transformation in their lives and communities.

“I want to congratulate the graduates for completing training in vocational skills. This training will not only change your lives but those around you and your communities and this will help us achieve social economic transformation,” Kibwika said, warning the youth against selling their start up kits.

Another graduate gets a start up kit.

A significant investment of sh136m was injected in the six month long project. The money was meant to train the youth in various skills but to also help procure start up kits to enable the young people sustain their businesses.

Herbert Kulafa, the program manager, BUACOFE said the selection process of youth who obtained support were particularly those out of school and from vulnerable households.

“The youth who graduated today will not only be employable but competitive in their local job markets. The approach extends to institutional and artisan models, empowering trained youth to establish their own workshops for sustainable income generation,” Kulafa said.

Brian Nyongesa, a graduate in tailoring, shared his success story of making and selling masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. He now runs a workshop where he not only creates various clothing items but also trains fellow youth.

At the same event, BUACOFE launched its five-year strategic plan aimed at repositioning the organisation to take up leadership in the areas of Child Protection, Household Economic Strengthening; Youth Empowerment; WASH, Basic Education and Health.