Career
Jun 08, 2010
<b>Lubowa institute moulds youth into job creators</b><br>WHEN 36-year-old Paul Kinobi, completed university in 1997, he looked for a job in vain. He then volunteered for the African Leadership Institute for five years.
By Frederick Womakuyu
Lubowa institute moulds youth into job creators
WHEN 36-year-old Paul Kinobi, completed university in 1997, he looked for a job in vain. He then volunteered for the African Leadership Institute for five years.
During one of the sessions at the institute, Kinobi met one of the guest speakers, Lyn Russell, an Australian lady. Russell later took him through a mentoring programme to equip him with skills.
“She taught me leadership and mentored me into the kind of person I wanted to be. I wanted to be self-employed because I had failed to get a job,†he explains.
After several weeks of mentoring, Kinobi was empowered to start the Africa Mentoring Institute on Entebbe Road. The institute mentors ordinary people into good leaders and entrepreneurs.
“We deal with people who have a vision they want to achieve but do not know how to achieve it. Clients range from ordinary people who have never gone to school to those with master’s degrees or PhDs,†Kinobi explains.
The institute also carries out capacity building in the community by inviting successful people to talk to the youth for free. The target audience ranges from youth aged 15 to adults aged 50.
Thirty-four-year-old James Wagogo was working as a casual labourer (roofing) three years ago. He wanted to make bricks but did not know what to do. “I thought I needed millions to start. But the institute trained me and I started with sh200,000. Now I own blocks worth sh10m. I bought land and I am constructing a house,†he says.
According to Kinobi, over 2,000 people have gone through this institute that started five years ago. During the mentorship, the participants meet people to teach them how to make it to the top.
The institute exists to inspire young people reach their best in life. The participants can get training from their headquarters on Entebbe Road or the institute meets the participant in places of their choice.
“Our charges range from zero for the unemployed youths to sh200,000 for people or companies that need our services. But community mentoring and capacity building is done for free,’ says Kinobi.
The institute has also begun the annual national mentoring conference where the participants are to be mentored and trained for free. The first national conference kicks off tomorrow at Hotel Africana.
The participants will interact with successful people in leadership and entrepreneurship. The institute will also award individuals who have gone through the mentoring process and achieved in life. “There are successful stories where people have started businesses like making bricks, bars and schools. Our ideas uplifted one lady from a sweeper to a school owner. We want the youth to listen and watch this and know they can also be successful in life,†says Kinobi.
The National Mentoring Conference is the first of its kind in Uganda and it will be held annually to empower youth to develop leadership and entrepreneurship skills.
Lubowa institute moulds youth into job creators
WHEN 36-year-old Paul Kinobi, completed university in 1997, he looked for a job in vain. He then volunteered for the African Leadership Institute for five years.
During one of the sessions at the institute, Kinobi met one of the guest speakers, Lyn Russell, an Australian lady. Russell later took him through a mentoring programme to equip him with skills.
“She taught me leadership and mentored me into the kind of person I wanted to be. I wanted to be self-employed because I had failed to get a job,†he explains.
After several weeks of mentoring, Kinobi was empowered to start the Africa Mentoring Institute on Entebbe Road. The institute mentors ordinary people into good leaders and entrepreneurs.
“We deal with people who have a vision they want to achieve but do not know how to achieve it. Clients range from ordinary people who have never gone to school to those with master’s degrees or PhDs,†Kinobi explains.
The institute also carries out capacity building in the community by inviting successful people to talk to the youth for free. The target audience ranges from youth aged 15 to adults aged 50.
Thirty-four-year-old James Wagogo was working as a casual labourer (roofing) three years ago. He wanted to make bricks but did not know what to do. “I thought I needed millions to start. But the institute trained me and I started with sh200,000. Now I own blocks worth sh10m. I bought land and I am constructing a house,†he says.
According to Kinobi, over 2,000 people have gone through this institute that started five years ago. During the mentorship, the participants meet people to teach them how to make it to the top.
The institute exists to inspire young people reach their best in life. The participants can get training from their headquarters on Entebbe Road or the institute meets the participant in places of their choice.
“Our charges range from zero for the unemployed youths to sh200,000 for people or companies that need our services. But community mentoring and capacity building is done for free,’ says Kinobi.
The institute has also begun the annual national mentoring conference where the participants are to be mentored and trained for free. The first national conference kicks off tomorrow at Hotel Africana.
The participants will interact with successful people in leadership and entrepreneurship. The institute will also award individuals who have gone through the mentoring process and achieved in life. “There are successful stories where people have started businesses like making bricks, bars and schools. Our ideas uplifted one lady from a sweeper to a school owner. We want the youth to listen and watch this and know they can also be successful in life,†says Kinobi.
The National Mentoring Conference is the first of its kind in Uganda and it will be held annually to empower youth to develop leadership and entrepreneurship skills.