The URDT Institute, in partnership with the Kyegegwa District Local Government, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union (EU) through the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development under the Spotlight Initiative, on 8th September distributed push-up kits worth over UGX 10 million to five youth groups in Kyegegwa District. The distribution was conducted under the project “Skilling and Empowering Youth, Women, and Victims of GBV and HIV in Kyegegwa District”. Using the satellite training approach and leveraging local artisans and agribusiness practitioners, URDT Institute is equipping young women and men with market-relevant vocational and soft/employable skills to enable them to access decent jobs
Targeting 1,500 young people in three years, the project seeks to create a transformative and sustainable impact on the lives of vulnerable youth particularly young women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and victims of gender-based violence (GBV). Through the provision of vocational and soft skills training, the project aims to enhance employability and self-reliance.
The beneficiary groups included: Leather Designers – Kyegegwa, Shoemakers – Kakabara, Motorcycle mechanics – Mpara, Kyegegwa Knitters and Bujubuli Motorcycle mechanics.
Groups received an assortment of tools including a fully equipped motorcycle repair toolbox, sewing machines, finishing machines, stitching hooks, scissors, leather materials, layers, micro soles, gum, threads, rivets, shoe laces, knitting machines, and tailoring machines collectively valued at over UGX 10 million.
According to Mr. Robert Katabazi, Director of Education and Training at URDT, the Institute incorporates the Learn–Work–Earn principle (LWE) which enable young people to earn some little money as they undergo training. This enables them to have some startup capital and therefore need push up to enable their businesses grow. This approach has enabled 50 young people trained over three months to develop a saving culture during their training, with the push-up kits further supporting their path to sustainable development.
“For many years, URDT Institute has applied the visionary approach in its training, which enables both artisans and young people to work toward achieving their target goals,” Mr. Katabazi said.
Mr. Ategeka Deus, Senior Assistant Secretary at Kyegegwa District Local Government who represented the CAO, commended URDT Institute for training thousands of youths in Kyegegwa District and Kyaka II Refugee Settlement, which has significantly boosted youth employment in the area. He applauded URDT and Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe for their generosity and partnership with the district.
He further encouraged the beneficiaries to use the tools responsibly for their intended purposes, remain disciplined, work together as groups, and pay taxes to ensure steady progress. Mr. Deus also pledged continued collaboration with URDT in supervising and mentoring young people for the development of Kyegegwa.
The project specifically targets youth survivors of gender-based violence, school dropouts, persons with disabilities, and youth living with HIV/AIDS. Of these, 70% are young women, while 10% are youth with disabilities, all between the ages of 15–24.
