Over 20,000 youth to benefit from sh20b CSO grant
“Over the next five years, we are going to invest sh20b to improve services for vulnerable youth in selected areas, including education, skills training, enterprise support, community outreach, and health care without discrimination,” Namatovu stated.
The five-year grant, which is being provided by the Open World Foundation (OWF), will also help youth acquire formal education, skills training, community sensitisation, and improve health care. (Credit: Paul Kiwuuwa)
Over 20,000 vulnerable youths across Karamoja, Busoga, Rwenzori, and Buganda sub-regions are to benefit from a sh20b Civil Society Organisation (CSO) grant meant to help them start up small businesses.
The five-year grant, which is being provided by the Open World Foundation (OWF), will also help youth acquire formal education, skills training, community sensitisation, and improve health care.
OWF is a Ugandan non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming lives of vulnerable communities through health, education, and livelihood support.
Speaking during the launch of the five-year strategic plan (2026–2030) at Eureka Hotel in Ntinda, Kampala, on July 31, 2026, the OWF programme Team Leader, Grace Namatovu, said they have come up with a five-year strategic goal to support over 20,000 youths as a way of complementing government programmes.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Non-Governmental Organisations, CSOs, private sector, among others. This year’s funding is under the theme “Empowering for sustainability.”
Namatovu further noted, “We would like to eliminate youth trapped in cycles of poverty and dependency to achieve self-reliance and reach their full potential.”
Namatovu explained that household surveys will identify vulnerable youth by assessing their vulnerability levels.
She explained that targeting the youth in Karamoja is vital because the sub-region faces extreme economic hardship, with monetary poverty at 74.2% and child poverty at 77.7%, as per the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2024 survey.
According to UBOS, Busoga accounts for approximately 12% of the national poor population, representing one of the highest concentrations of poverty in the country, Namatovu noted.
“The Rwenzori region is affected by a severe multidimensional poverty rate of 32%. This economic status is attributed to decades of armed insurgencies, violent ethnic clashes, and intense resource conflicts," she said, adding that “Such instability affects agriculture, commercial investment, and infrastructure, causing a vicious cycle of poverty.”
She explained that concentrating on urban youth employment in the Central region of Buganda by skilling the youth for future opportunities as the nation develops will launch strong futures once they finish school.
“Our strategy includes a targeted intervention for youth with disabilities. We recognise the specific needs of this category. During the implementation of this strategic plan, we will design tailored programmes to ensure full inclusivity,” said Namatovu.
Mercy Lakisa, the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, in a statement read by Kyateka Mondo, the Commissioner Youth and Children Affairs, said Uganda has one of the youngest populations worldwide, with approximately 73 percent of the population below the age of 30 years.
Lakisa noted that young people can be a source of meaningful investment if they are healthy, educated, skilled, protected and able to access full employment and entrepreneurship skills.