Convention turning Uganda’s youth into job creators
Aug 01, 2010
UNEMPLOYMENT is undoubtedly the biggest issue facing the youth in Uganda today. For that reason, a group of 27 people, most of them youth, have come up with the Uganda Youth Convention (UYC) to change this position.
By Chris Kiwawulo
UNEMPLOYMENT is undoubtedly the biggest issue facing the youth in Uganda today. For that reason, a group of 27 people, most of them youth, have come up with the Uganda Youth Convention (UYC) to change this position.
UYC hopes to empower youth with skills to enable them start their own enterprises, making youth job creators rather than seekers.
According to facts from Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), out of every 10 jobs advertised, over 1,500 graduates apply.
About 400,000 graduates come into the labour market annually, but only 80,000 are able to find formal employment.
With 75% of Uganda’s population aged below 35, the issue of employment can no longer be ignored.
“If this is not collectively and correctly addressed, Uganda’s growth and stability will be at a risk,†says Richard Kaweesa, the spokesperson.
With the theme: Uganda Youth Convention 2010: Opportunity, Empowerment, Enterprise, the convention organisers hope to change the lives of about 6,000 youth expected to attend the convention at Makerere University.
Each district will send 50 youth aged between 18 and 35 years, says Kaweesa.
President Yoweri Museveni and wife Janet, among other guests, are expected to deliver papers.
Kaweesa says UYC was born out of an idea from different Ugandans, who came together with the conviction to find solutions to Uganda’s unemployment.
“The convention aims at involving young people in the process of identifying their own needs to help them generate opportunities and establish structures through which those needs can be addressed. It also seeks to establish an annual platform through which youth can promote their interests,†Kaweesa explains.
The convention is organised in partnership with several private sector organisations.
Sharad Karia, one of the convention coordinators, says about 10 companies have already committed themselves to sponsoring the convention and many others have shown interest.
Why now?
Kaweesa says youth demand and deserve to see results. “They need to know that opportunities are available; they need to participate in the affairs of their country at all levels. The convention gives them that opportunity to counter their challenges,†he says.
The youth need to be helped to discover their potential to make wise discoveries and participate in the direction of their destiny, Kaweesa notes.
Charlotte Ampaire, the UYC co-spokesperson, says they have, for some time been talking about the idea, but only conceptualised it at the beginning of this year. She says 75% of the districts have already responded to their invitations.
“Most districts have already sent 50 names each of the youth who are going to attend,†says Ampaire.
The youth will reside in Makerere University’s halls of residence throughout the five-day convention. “We shall give them food, water and mattresses. But they can bring other things like towels, clothing and bed sheets,†she says.
What is UYC?
Ampaire says the convention is a result of a confluence of ideas from different Ugandans, who came together with conviction and commitment to find solutions to problems faced by the youth. She says despite their varied backgrounds and experiences, they agree that unemployment is the youth’s major challenge.
“That is why it is prudent to involve them in the process of identifying their problems and guiding them in generating solutions.â€
The convention will present a critical platform for the youth, where they will not only confront problems they face, but also promote and pursue their interests and change their world for the better.
Local leaders at the district levels were asked to participate in the selection of the youth to ensure effective representation.
The convention is open to all youth regardless of gender, tribe, religion and political affiliation.
What is convention about?
Kaweesa says the convention will find out the vacant posts in the civil service and other sectors in the country for the youth to identify openings at all levels from around the country.
In-depth two-hour lectures focusing on the theme (opportunity, empowerment, enterprise) will take place, punctuated by 30-minute entertainment interludes. Lecturers and successful business persons will deliver papers starting at 8:00am – 5:30pm everyday.
Motivational speakers from Enterprise Uganda, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, UBOS, and Makerere University, will give the youth life empowerment skills. “The convention is aims to engage the youth in finding solutions to their problems so they can ably contribute to Uganda’s development,†says Kaweesa.
About 20 local artistes, according to Kaweesa, who is also among them, will entertain the participants.
Areas of focus
The convention will have particular focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Young people are factories of ideas that need to be transformed into thoughts and imaginations and made practical. Doing so is setting on the journey to enterprises culminating into opportunities and work,†argues Kaweesa.
“We will also look at skill building, where venture capital regional centres can be used as training centres for the youth to act as incubation centres for ideas.
“Practical/technical centres need to be built with the aim of providing youth with the necessary expertise and skills required to improve their lives and those of the communities around them,†he says.
The convention will promote initiatives geared towards innovation and entrepreneurial development to empower the youth. It will also focus on the use of venture capital to get seed money, Kaweesa elaborates.
Focus will be put on how the model works, how the Government can partner with the private sector to make use of the different inputs by the Government, and how it can be disseminated and accessed by the youth.
Kaweesa says it will also focus on the role of leadership institutions, making it attractive and open to young people with intentions of cultivating and cementing the spirit of hard work.
What next after the convention?
Kaweesa says there will be continued networking among the youth even after the conventions.
“UYC 2010 will hold an annual gathering and ideas generated from the first convention will not be left to die. There will be a national secretariat that will coordinate implementation of projects to ensure success and continuity of this idea to deal with the plight of the youth,†Kaweesa explains.
UNEMPLOYMENT is undoubtedly the biggest issue facing the youth in Uganda today. For that reason, a group of 27 people, most of them youth, have come up with the Uganda Youth Convention (UYC) to change this position.
UYC hopes to empower youth with skills to enable them start their own enterprises, making youth job creators rather than seekers.
According to facts from Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), out of every 10 jobs advertised, over 1,500 graduates apply.
About 400,000 graduates come into the labour market annually, but only 80,000 are able to find formal employment.
With 75% of Uganda’s population aged below 35, the issue of employment can no longer be ignored.
“If this is not collectively and correctly addressed, Uganda’s growth and stability will be at a risk,†says Richard Kaweesa, the spokesperson.
With the theme: Uganda Youth Convention 2010: Opportunity, Empowerment, Enterprise, the convention organisers hope to change the lives of about 6,000 youth expected to attend the convention at Makerere University.
Each district will send 50 youth aged between 18 and 35 years, says Kaweesa.
President Yoweri Museveni and wife Janet, among other guests, are expected to deliver papers.
Kaweesa says UYC was born out of an idea from different Ugandans, who came together with the conviction to find solutions to Uganda’s unemployment.
“The convention aims at involving young people in the process of identifying their own needs to help them generate opportunities and establish structures through which those needs can be addressed. It also seeks to establish an annual platform through which youth can promote their interests,†Kaweesa explains.
The convention is organised in partnership with several private sector organisations.
Sharad Karia, one of the convention coordinators, says about 10 companies have already committed themselves to sponsoring the convention and many others have shown interest.
Why now?
Kaweesa says youth demand and deserve to see results. “They need to know that opportunities are available; they need to participate in the affairs of their country at all levels. The convention gives them that opportunity to counter their challenges,†he says.
The youth need to be helped to discover their potential to make wise discoveries and participate in the direction of their destiny, Kaweesa notes.
Charlotte Ampaire, the UYC co-spokesperson, says they have, for some time been talking about the idea, but only conceptualised it at the beginning of this year. She says 75% of the districts have already responded to their invitations.
“Most districts have already sent 50 names each of the youth who are going to attend,†says Ampaire.
The youth will reside in Makerere University’s halls of residence throughout the five-day convention. “We shall give them food, water and mattresses. But they can bring other things like towels, clothing and bed sheets,†she says.
What is UYC?
Ampaire says the convention is a result of a confluence of ideas from different Ugandans, who came together with conviction and commitment to find solutions to problems faced by the youth. She says despite their varied backgrounds and experiences, they agree that unemployment is the youth’s major challenge.
“That is why it is prudent to involve them in the process of identifying their problems and guiding them in generating solutions.â€
The convention will present a critical platform for the youth, where they will not only confront problems they face, but also promote and pursue their interests and change their world for the better.
Local leaders at the district levels were asked to participate in the selection of the youth to ensure effective representation.
The convention is open to all youth regardless of gender, tribe, religion and political affiliation.
What is convention about?
Kaweesa says the convention will find out the vacant posts in the civil service and other sectors in the country for the youth to identify openings at all levels from around the country.
In-depth two-hour lectures focusing on the theme (opportunity, empowerment, enterprise) will take place, punctuated by 30-minute entertainment interludes. Lecturers and successful business persons will deliver papers starting at 8:00am – 5:30pm everyday.
Motivational speakers from Enterprise Uganda, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, UBOS, and Makerere University, will give the youth life empowerment skills. “The convention is aims to engage the youth in finding solutions to their problems so they can ably contribute to Uganda’s development,†says Kaweesa.
About 20 local artistes, according to Kaweesa, who is also among them, will entertain the participants.
Areas of focus
The convention will have particular focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Young people are factories of ideas that need to be transformed into thoughts and imaginations and made practical. Doing so is setting on the journey to enterprises culminating into opportunities and work,†argues Kaweesa.
“We will also look at skill building, where venture capital regional centres can be used as training centres for the youth to act as incubation centres for ideas.
“Practical/technical centres need to be built with the aim of providing youth with the necessary expertise and skills required to improve their lives and those of the communities around them,†he says.
The convention will promote initiatives geared towards innovation and entrepreneurial development to empower the youth. It will also focus on the use of venture capital to get seed money, Kaweesa elaborates.
Focus will be put on how the model works, how the Government can partner with the private sector to make use of the different inputs by the Government, and how it can be disseminated and accessed by the youth.
Kaweesa says it will also focus on the role of leadership institutions, making it attractive and open to young people with intentions of cultivating and cementing the spirit of hard work.
What next after the convention?
Kaweesa says there will be continued networking among the youth even after the conventions.
“UYC 2010 will hold an annual gathering and ideas generated from the first convention will not be left to die. There will be a national secretariat that will coordinate implementation of projects to ensure success and continuity of this idea to deal with the plight of the youth,†Kaweesa explains.