Govt asked to support youth interested in working abroad

Apr 30, 2017

Government last year, through the ministry of gender, labour and social development released more than Shs85b to support the Youth

Photos by Saudha Nakandha

As Uganda celebrates the International Labour day, government has been asked to offer financial support to the youth interested in working abroad in order to increase on the revenue remitted to the country, the chairman of Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies, (UAERA), Andrew Tumwine has said.

Tumwine explained that the association is engaging government to assist several youth yearning to work in the diaspora especially in the Middle-East countries where they are job opportunities.

He said "Government should assist them with travel and other expenses, especially now that there is a fund meant to be utilized by the youth. Some of them are financially constrained but have passed interviews which qualify them to travel and work."

Tumwine explained that the country earns revenue close to U$1.1trillion from external labour and U$400m from Ugandans working in the middle-east.

"We have over 70,000 Ugandans working in the Middle East and over US$ 400m is remitted annually from these migrant workers. This accounts for 40% of all remittances from all over the world to Uganda," He revealed  

He lamented that several youth have been boosted with the Youth Livelihood Fund but have not delivered urging that since UAERA can mobilize and organize agencies which take youth to travel abroad, they can monitor the youth and ensure that the funds are paid back.

Tumwine said that the youth funds which are being distributed and not properly used can be given to the youth and they can pay back in installments

Government last year, through the ministry of gender, labour and social development released more than Shs85b to support the Youth Livelihood Programme.

The programme according to the ministry, has engaged 8,213 youth groups countrywide with a total number of 105,674 youth benefiting in the 112 districts.

The youth minister Florence Nakiwala at the beginning of this year petitioned the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to probe allegations of graft into the shs 265 billion Youth Livelihood Fund.

Kiyingi said she decided to file the petition after she discovered that there was an accountability error in the programme, which is meant to help less privileged youths.

The association which brings together licensed companies which recruit people intending to work abroad was formed in 2013 to assist Ugandans traveling in the Middle East after an outcry from the public that many youth were being trafficked for cheap labour.

It comprises of 52 companies which recruit Ugandans interested in working in the Middle-East.

After receiving several harrowing tales of Ugandan women working abroad, government on January 22, 2016, banned domestic labor export to the Middle East countries.  However, it was lifted on March 10, 2017 and became effective on April 1.

Beneficiaries speak out

Jessica Adeke Norah, 22 a resident of Seeta, Mukono district says that she worked for 2 years as a domestic worker and has managed to construct her parents a residential house in Tororo district.

hamusa assali who has worked abroad before testifying during the press briefingShamusa Nassali who has worked abroad before testifying during the press briefing

Shamusa Nassali, 21 says that her first experience was not the best because she travelled while she was 17 years and was trafficked, she hopes to go back under an organized way.

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