On Friday 24th May 2019, 74 youth graduated with Vocational Skills in bricklaying and concrete practice, welding, carpentry and joinery, motor vehicle mechanics, tailoring and garment cutting, catering and hair dressing among others after completion of a four-month training at Pioneer Technical Institute in Iganga District. The training is aimed at empowering the youth with hands on skills in their areas of interest in order to improve the livelihood of the families that they come from. The youth are also supported with start-up kits for their various courses in order to get them started on their new businesses.
Speaking during the ceremony, Resident District Commissioner Mayuge District Shiraku Jmaes who also the guest of honour, applauded Habitat for Humanity Uganda for imparting vocational skills to the youth. “The skills will help the youth to be independent and their financial status will be improved as they will be able to generate their own wealth,” he said.
In his remarks, the Ag. Deputy National Director, Deogratious Mugabo advised the graduates to use the skills to develop their families and communities. “You need to show the industry that you are no longer the same,” he said.
Bazilio Kazungu, who received the best student award in welding and has been retained at the Training Institute, said the knowledge and skills will enable them to be independent as they will be able to generate their own income. He also advised the other youth who had also been skilled to start their businesses with the little that they have and they will keep growing and tasked them to look for fellow community members already in the same fields for mentorship.
The youth were very grateful for the opportunity that they were given because others in the community didn’t get the chance. They also prayed for more funds in order to support other youth in the area.