Be creative, youth told

By Jeff Andrew Lule and Denis Dibele

The youth have been asked to use the available local resources within their localities to fight unemployment.

Addressing journalists a head of the National Skills Development Expo 2013, the coordinator of the programme Johnson Akampa said many youth are idle because they are not taking advantage of the resources in their communities as they wait for white-collar jobs which don’t exist anymore.

The ministry of gender and social development, and Youth Advocacy Foundation Uganda are organizing the expo.

“We have realized that many youth especially university graduates undermine jobs which require them to use their hands while other lack practical skills. Our study shows that many successful youth are uneducated like those living in rural areas because they take advantage of every opportunity,” Akampa said.

The expo is to take place from 5th to 7th, under the theme: “Bridging the Gap of the Youth Unemployment by Creating a Heath Future With Creating Jobs”, at the Uganda Museum, Kampala. Akampa said the event will bring successful youth to show case their successes to inspire other youth. They will act as role models to those who are still unemployed and also expand their networks.

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Johnson Akampa addressing the press ahead of the expo. PHOTO: Denis Dibele

“We want to see how we can help these successful youth on how to improve their services and products to easily compete in various markets locally and internationally,” Akampa added.

He said some youth have used local resources to earn a living while others use their educational skills to come up with innovations like in Information Communication Technology (ICT) but only need to be supported.

“We want to show things that can make a difference among the youth to change their attitudes towards work. The youth should stop lamenting but do something because government doesn’t have enough resources,” he said.

The expo targets attendance of over 2,000 people. The event will include exhibitions, panel discussions on unemployment, skills development hubs, performances, free HIV/AIDS counseling and testing and flash mobs.

Participants will come from civil Society, private sector, international development agencies and policy makers among others.

“We want policy makers and other players to deliberate on youth issues in their presence,” Akampa added.