Youth eager to learn from Pakasa Forum

PIC: Ram Abubakar Muhammad Hadji, the MD Blueprint Uganda and CEO of Express FC, reads a copy of Pakasa during the 5th Pakasa Forum at Kampala Parents School in Naguru last year.

Youth from various universities and work places in Uganda have expressed keenness to attend and learn from Vision Group's eighth Pakasa Forum tomorrow.

The forum, to take place in the Kampala Parents' School auditorium in Naguru, Kampala, from 9:00am, will feature world famous key note speaker and CEO of Kenya's Safaricom, Bob Collymore, speaking on the theme "skills for the marketplace - the success factor"
 
Fifty eight year-old Collymore's work experience spans across diverse countries such as Japan, South Africa and the United Kingdom where he has held progressively senior roles in marketing, purchasing, retail and corporate affairs.

The Pakasa Forum is a quarterly hall meeting created with a mission to inspire and encourage youth to create their dream job through entrepreneurship. It is a platform geared towards inspiring university students, recent graduates and those in secondary schools, into thinking of creative means of earning a living.

Majority of the students interviewed expressed excitement about the possibility of acquiring business knowledge and inspiration to start their own businesses.

Milly Kamuchaki, a second year student pursuing a bachelor's degree in education (history and divinity) at Nkumba University, said;

"I think the Pakasa Forum is going to open up my mind to new opportunities through the knowledge that will be given to us by Mr. Collymore. I am eager to put whatever I learn into practice immediately after my graduation in October this year."

Henry Kiryowa

"Since I am a business student, I look forward to expanding and widening my business knowledge. I hope to supplement on what I have learnt from class and hopefully understand how best to apply it to reality like my father did during his heyday," says Henry Kiryowa, a second year Bachelor of Business Administration student from Ndejje University.

Zewu Kanyago, a fourth year student of communication and media technology at Livingstone International University, Mbale, who is going to attend the forum for the first time said she was looking forward to some inspiration to start her own business.

Zewu Kanyago

Agnes Nangendo, a tutor at DDA Journalism Institute at Ndere Cultural Center says she was so inspired by Nkoyoyo of Stone Roofing Uganda in the last Pakasa Forum that she used his story to inspire her brother in the village into starting up a business of his own.

"He is into construction. I am happy that he is now earning from his own sweat. Tomorrow, he is coming to attend in person together with other friends of his. They all to gain knowledge of how best they can run their own businesses," she said.

Skills development
But there are many young people, especially the young workers who are eagerly waiting to hear Collymore talk about how best they can exploit their skills in a work environment.

Thomas Wandera, a young civil engineer with Roko Engineering Works Limited said;  "the theme of this Pakasa Forum has something to do with skills in the market place. Personally, I intend acquire knowledge on best practices in a corporate environment from a man with vast experience like Collymore so I can offer the best services to my employer."

Dorothy Makanga, a nurse at Entebbe Hospital, says she wants to learn from Collymore how best to adapt to changes in technology at the work place.

Networking
Sharuah Nanfuka, a third year Social Work and Social Administration (SWASA) student at Makerere University is excited about the networking opportunities the forum will accord her.

"I expect to meet some young people at the event who have ventured into various businesses for survival in this competitive market.  My hope is that I can interact with and draw lessons from them. This forum will be a pure catalyst for me to start up my own business soon," she says.

Derrick Mugabe

 
Like Nanfuka, Derrick Mugabe, a third year Makerere University Information Technology student, is excited about the possibility of networking except he is looking for job opportunities for when is done with school.

Benjamin Muwanguzi, a young cameraman at Palace of Praise and Prayer Church, Kireka said he is looking forward to expanding his clientele.

"A forum of this nature is exactly the opportunity I need to showcase my skills and new techniques in photography to participants. I hope to also connect to new clients and expand my business in the long run," he said.

Immaculate Katono, a third year student pursuing a degree in education at Makerere University said she too was looking forward to "Socalising with the participants and making new inspiring friends for future reference."

But Chris Mutawe, a fourth year Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology student at Livingstone International University in Mbale said;

"I expect Vision Group to issue out certificates and show the audience the winners of Pakasa Youth Awards 2015/16. I want them to narrate to us how they made it. Those are more pertinent lessons for Ugandan youths.