Museveni's skilling project awards over 8,000

GRADUATION

KAMPALA - The belief in the cruciality of vocational skills as a contributor to national development has paid off for 8,480 youths, who are the latest certified beneficiaries of the Presidential Initiative on Skilling The Girl Child Project.

To get here, they had to undergo six months of training.

This lot joins thousands before them, who started in April 2017, in a project keenly under the watchful eye of President Yoweri Museveni. 

 
On Sunday, Museveni presided over the eye-catching graduation ceremony conducted at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.

 
As early as 7am Sunday, enthusiastic parents, well-wishers, and graduands, who filled the pavilion and tents at Kololo, braved the morning downpour to access the heavily guarded venue.

At about 1pm, they had to contend with the scorching sun, but seemed undeterred as they gave the President the thumbs up. He responded in acknowledgement.

 
Graduands comprised students from both 2018 and 2019 intakes.

They learned and perfected their skill from centres in Kigowa, Mutundwe, Luzira, Subway, Wandegeya, Nakulabye, and Katanga.

 
The graduands were from the classes of: bakery (1,720), hairdressing (2,598), tailoring (2,668), knitting (368), weaving (86), shoemaking (512) and Special Forces Command (SFC) Spouses trainees (528).

 
President Museveni toured the exhibition stalls to check out their work. He was pleased with what was on display.

 
Speeches were punctuated by songs, mostly the groovy Tubonga Nawe hit that was Museveni's campaign theme song in the 2016 general elections.

Madina Mutesi, the students' leader, made a delivery.

 

She was later called over to the President's tent and interacted with him.

 

Nakulabye elderly women presented their art craft to President Museveni.