Honorable Opolot Okasaai the minister of State for energy and mineral development has applauded Uganda Rural Development and Training Program (URDT) for enabling youth empowerment in Communities.
Honourable Opolot was overwhelmed meeting a total of 436(192F,244M) Artisans 278(132F,146M) and Agribusiness practitioners158(60F,98M) who are hands on trainers of young people in the twenty districts of partnership with Uganda Rural Development and Training Institute(URDT-I) an implementer of the Young Africa Works Uganda program in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to enable 80% of the 70,000 young people graduate as entrepreneurs with dignified work and 20% as employees elsewhere.
URDT-I is currently training the youth of 18-35 years in Mid-Western and Mid-Central Uganda through the Satellite Approach of learning and the trainers converged for a Trainers of Trainees workshop facilitated by a team of 8(5M,3F) Directorate of Industrial Training(DIT) representatives at URDT Multipurpose Hall for the purpose of learning how to enhance the use of Assessment and Training package (ATP) in facilitation of learning at their training centers which also double as their business.
Honourable Opolot urged the Arisans to utilize his ministry. ’My ministry is going to be common in this area because of the presence of oil. But use it to cause personal and house hold transformation. I wish to see this region succeeding in wealth in this country. Don’t wait for oil to come out for the benefits of this oil are now, exploit the opportunities by feeding the workers of the oil industry. ’let food not come from other regions but here’. He added.
One of the Artisans presenting ’The challenges I have experienced are that the young people do not transition to work immediately due to lack of capital, they travel long distances to the training centers and also the female trainees sometimes lose focus and drop out of the training due to temptations by the men in the area. ’she added.
Benjamin Tumusiime the Kagadi District deputy RDC, commended artisans for being empowered and for training the youth in Uganda which is the second youthful country in Africa following Niger confirming that Out of the 45 million people in Uganda, the average age of the youth is 16.7 years.’ Most people study theory in the name obtaining degrees. There are a lot of things they don’t know. ‘A country whose population is youthful means they are in schools and shall search for jobs because they are over fed with theory and start learning on job in case they get one.’ Agriculture and services are the only way to transform from poverty ‘. He added.
Joyce Ndibareka a hair dresser from Kassanda, articulates the transformation URDT has caused to her. ‘I have benefited from the Young Africa Works Uganda program because I train young people who learn practical skills and thereafter transition to work and start up their own businesses and also my business has expanded.
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