Uganda Rural Development and Training Institute (URDT-I) has once again demonstrated its position as the leading transformative institution for rural communities at the launch of the 3rd graduation ceremonies at URDT/ARU Campus in Kagadi district on 18th February,2025. The launch aimed to create a platform for the young people to learn about their role in the democratic process of Uganda.
While speaking at the event, Justice Simon Byabakama the chairman of the independent Electoral Commission of Uganda and also the chief guest commended Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe for the tremendous work he is doing in transforming the lives of the youth through equipping them with hands on skills thus urging them to embrace peace as the foundation of development and growth of their established enterprises.
“The skilling program is important in turning the youth into productive focused citizens who realise they can only thrive or succeed in putting to practice what they have learnt in an environment of peace, stability and security”. Byabakama added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe the founder and Chairman Board; Uganda Development and Training Programme (URDT) stated that the skilling youth program that is being implemented by URDT-I in partnership with Mastercard Foundation is a result of URDT’S recommendation by Mr. Julius Muchunguzi to the Office of the prime minister as a transformative organization for the youth to dignified work. This he emphasized is due to URDT’s history in transitioning about two hundred walk to work rioters in the year 2011-2012 that were collected from Kampala streets and brought to URDT Campus for a three months mindset change training course thus transitioning into responsible and productive citizens of Uganda.
Dr. Musheshe also counselled that when young people learn how to generate their own income, they gain dignity which resonates with URDT’s mission of giving young people not only hope for the future but also the capacity and capability to support themselves to think and work for their communities and the nation at large.
While addressing the congregation, Miss Grace Kobugenyi the Epicenter Manager for Kagadi district; one of the twenty-four URDT-I field staff and a graduate of URDT Girls School and African Rural University respectively brought to attention about the efficacy of working with a vision and idea her family was introduced to in 2004.
“After joining URDT Girls school, my parents and I participated in an orientation workshop about the two generations approach that targets parents and their children to have a shared vision. By the end of the workshop, we were able to set our vision for ten years and this was; having a good house, because we were living in a grass thatched one by then. And to realise our vision, we started a pineapple and also a banana plantation project that generated income in our family. The income from these projects supported me and my siblings to attain enough scholastic materials while attending to school.
Currently, I am a graduate and a rural transformation specialist and my family is respected for our high level of education in Igayaza Town Council, Kakumiro district and our parents live in a permanent house which was our aspiration”. We attained this transformation because of URDT.
To date, URDT-I through the Satellite Approach has trained a total of 5,504 young people in Kagadi district whereby 3,142 are female,1,592 have transitioned to work. This statistic is just a faction of the 70,000 young people that have been trained in just four years in the twenty districts and four refugee settlements where URDT-I is implementing the Skilling Youth for Entrepreneurship and Dignified Employment project in mid-western and mid central Uganda by September 2025.Targeting 80% of the graduates to transition as entrepreneurs and 20% as employees who are reputable, respectable and have sustainable and resilient enterprises under the # Young Africa Works Strategy.
