Barclays bank donates shs100m for youth skills development

By Patrick Jaramogi           

Barclays Bank has in a bid to boost skilling among the youth in remote Kampala suburbs donated shs100 million to Youth Employment Systems (YES) to create job creation skills.

YES is a Non-Government Youth Capacity Building organization training and inspiring young people into employment creation in Kawempe Division, a Kampala suburb.
 

YES is a national level coalition of youth and youth organization, advocating for youth employment creation. The primary aim is to work with diverse stakeholders to develop programs and projects for youth employment creation.
 

At least five million youth shall have their career shaped. Barclays bank has partnered with YES to support the youth in skills development such as entrepreneurship and Business Development program, employability Skills Training, micro Business Support program
 

YES Uganda country coordinator, Daniel Semakula said the shs100m donation from Barclays Bank will be utilised for developing Job related skills among young people.
 

“Young people especially young girls in urban areas are desperately in need of job skills that could help them engage into service delivery giving them a chance to meet daily needs,” said Semakula.
 

He noted that Kawempe Division among the five divisions making up Kampala District is the most affected with the highest rate of its young people unemployed.
 

He said the Barclays donation made to Youth Employment Systems, would be used to train over 100 youth with job skills, integrated with life, and financial and enterprise development skills in the next three- five years.

“Last year Barclays bank donated shs75m that was used to train over 200 young people.
 

Semakula said the beneficiaries to this funds include young deaf girls who are training in cosmetology skills. The deaf girls who had lost hope are now optimistic that they have skills developed to earn them a living.
 

The Barclays Bank Managing Director, James Kinyany said, “As part of our citizenship agenda, we are working to positively change 5 million young futures globally by 2015.
 

He said that partnering with YES Uganda gives an opportunity to empower young people through equipping them with work related skills and financial literacy skills which are vital for their future.

Michael Kaddu the head of Corporate Affairs Barclays said their employees across the country will take part in this programme as volunteers talking to young girls sharing and training youths in financial literacy skills.
 

YES – Uganda implements activities under the 3Ps strategies.

The 3Ps Policy, Partnerships and Programs for youth employment, and work to understand the country poverty eradication strategies and the priorities of donors, to develop projects that address unemployment.