Hands-on skills: Youth to get entrepreneurial opportunities

By Oyet Okwera

Although some youths are attempting to embrace hands-on skills to avoid the unemployment challenge, some of them lack exposure to different entrepreneurial skills.

However, there is a looming ray of hope for these young Ugandans, especially school drop-outs, because Salama Community Development Initiative (SCDI) has come out to support them.

Ronald Senyonga, general secretary at SCDI, observed that school drop-outs can be helped to increase opportunities among themselves by equipping them with the correct and relevant skills.

He said youths should be reminded about their rights, and he encouraged all stakeholders to help them prosper especially in practical skills.

"Let us identify some businesses and embark on developing stronger brands that can be consumed easily. This will lead to some income generation which will increase the morale of our youths.”

He was speaking recently at Kabalagala, Kampala during a ceremony organized by SCDI to urge stakeholders support vulnerable youth embrace entrepreneurial skills.

SCDI youth are already manufacturing paper bags – done through recycling waste papers – and Senyonga said they are taking advantage of the ban on polythene bags.

They are also manufacturing liquid soap, candles and juice which they market across Kampala.

According to Senyonga, they also sell entrepreneurial skills to some vocational training institutes that approach them.

Charles Kakembo, the chairperson of this initiative, believes that if youths are supported, the rate of crime eventually reduces. In that spirit, he urged all leaders to support young people embrace hands-on skills to enable them live a meaningful life.

Recently, SCDI approached Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for support, and the city watchdog pledged to support street children with skills. This is aimed at ensuring that they leave the street and start up some projects to keep them busy as well as earn from them.

Kakembo said that to promote equality among all, they would also instill hope among people living with disability (PWDs) through supporting them with different businesses.

"We want PWDs to embrace survival skills which will encourage them work hard to begin their own businesses.”

Herbert Akampwera, country manager at Challenges Worldwide, advised potential business owners to ensure that they follow the correct procedure of starting business.

He told youths to register their business names and ensure that their businesses are incorporated to get better recognition.

"Before you start any business, ensure that your partner is trustworthy and identify your strong brands which will be your lead products.”

On his part, Charles Kintu, a youth, observed that the main challenge young people are grappling with is lack of capital for business start-up.

He believes that when stakeholders rally for financial support, it encourages more youths to start venturing into different business prospects.