The Vice President Maj Rtd Jessica Alupo has ask the youth of Teso-subregion who completed their vocational studies at the Teso Zonal Industrial Hub to look out for the different government programmes, join them and get money to kickstart life.
Speaking during their graduation ceremony, Her Excellency the Vice president MAJ (RTD) Jessica Alupo revealed how putting the skills learnt from the hub to good use would improve the trainees own standard of life, the quality of lives of their families and the communities they come from and make their contribution to national development.
“I beseech you to be exemplary and inspirational ambassadors of this initiative in your communities. Be role models. Create opportunities for others through wealth creation enterprises,”she said.
Adding however that this should be accompanied with continuous seeking of information concerning different government initiatives that are aligned towards capita generation one of the major hindrances to the different enterprises in the country.
She said, “When you are challenged by the limitations of capital, please be comforted by the fact that the government has programs to help address those challenges. Reach out. Engage your local leaders, seek information on the opportunities available. As they say, information is power.”
According to the Vice President, government has put in place different measures to solve the capital issue including capitalizing Uganda Development Bank, Uganda Development Corporation, Microfinance Support Center, Emyooga, Women Empowerment Fund, Youth Livelihood Fund and SACCOs.
This to address mainly the challenges of Interest rates that remain a problem due to the extortionately high rates offered by commercial banks, however through the different interventions the young people with viable enterprises can access grants and where need arises, borrow at less than 12% interest rate.
“l urge the media and the political class in the grassroots and even religious leaders to be agents of development in the community; continuously engage in development discussions as opposed to idle talk and petty issues that do not develop our people. Create awareness about government programs in your communication to the different audiences and faithful that listen to you,” Alupo emphasized.
Adding, “I encourage especially our young women who have been part of this program to aggressively and deliberately engage our local leadership structures on ground to get information on these opportunities. An empowered woman is an empowered community and a pillar for national growth and development.”
With the practical skills you have obtained, she said young women, should tap into such initiatives as the Women Empowerment Fund, Parish Development Model and other initiatives, to address the challenge of capital which is common in our poor communities. This she encouraged them to also make use of numbers and purpose in unity since together everyone achieves more.
She noted for example that going alone to negotiate for financial support from, for example, the Microfinance Support Center, may limit your chances especially that your negotiation power might be low as compared to working with others as part of a team of like-minded youth.
“Do not waste these skills by indulging in reckless sexual conduct that will confine you to unplanned pregnancies and unplanned marriages which will detract you from the course of wealth creation and chain you to the cycle of poverty. Above all, live your lives responsibly, avoid alcoholism and drug abuse as they will ruin your opportunities for growth and wealth creation,” She cautioned the youths.
Adding, in the NRM Manifesto (2021-2026), the president and the party committed to secure your future through creating jobs and prosperity for all Ugandans, delivering education and health, ensuring justice and equity, protecting life and property and achieving economic and political integration.
This therefore she noted that wasn’t only a testament of the commitment to fulfill the NRM’s political and socio-economic aspiration of bringing more Ugandans to the modern money economy through creating opportunities for job creation but also evidence of what is possible where there is political will to uplift the lives of our people. Our people, however, must also play their part by embracing these initiatives. I thank our youth whom we are passing out today for this positive mindset towards development.
Youth unemployment remains a serious challenge with Industrial Hubs speaking to the dynamicsof the economy. The trainees at these Zonal Presidential Hubs undergo a six-month training in carpentry and joinery, tailoring and garment cutting, and hairdressing. The skills here remain hardly taught in the traditional school system yet highly demanded for in Uganda and the wider East African Community (EAC) market.
19 zonal hubs have been operationalized country-wide to offer hands-on training, four (4) acre model, value addition and common user facilities.
