A lot of the youth have got a negative mental perspective towards vocational life skills which makes them vulnerable to biting unemployment.
Mary Blessing Ahairiirwe, a form six vacist in Bushenyi district is spending her vacation on undergoing a skills training in Tailoring and garments cutting, she has asked vacists and students to embrace life skills during this COVID-19 lockdown.
Mary Blessing made these remarks while responding to Parrotsug spot on interviews on: ‘Harnessing student’s participation in life skills training in COVID-19 lockdown,’ an ongoing program aiming to assess the efforts by students in fairing with corona virus lockdown. Participants are HSC Students, Vacists and University undergraduates.
“Life is better when you are multi purpose, this situation must not only be seen as a disadvantage but also a lesson that we need our traditional and cultural values too,” she said.
The call came shortly after 15million students at different levels nationwide were sent back home due to the effects of corona virus and there are little or no hopes of reopening soon. This has left students with the option of attending e learning lessons while others continue joining ‘Bufumbo’ colleges.
Despite the negative mental perspective towards doing vocational training, Mary Blessing advises students to be creative and innovative rather than keeping all hopes in academics.
“Per now we are back to our fire base offices closed but I’m earning money so, despising a job doesn’t mean you are better but ignorant about the meaning of Life in reality especially when Things fall apart,”
“Mediocrity is a mismanagement of your innate human potentials.” She emphasized.
Speaking in William Hutchinson Murray illusions, she said the outbreak of covid-19 is a spark to everyone to realise their innate abilities and potentials with disregard of who and what they are citing out self esteem, commitment as a basic mean of not to coax oneself into attitudes of vocational skills.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation): that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” ―William Hutchison Murray
In light to the above, Mary Blessing believe that vocational skills training has a greater impact on the girl – child livelihood.
“I have really learnt that inspiring girls is the greatest impact I can give cause it changes their attitude towards themselves and they know their worth which is not equated with money, swag, etcetera. All in all self love produces self respect and when a lady has that under her belt the rest remains a child’s play as well as Luck is taking its course,” says optimistic Mary Blessing
Mary Blessing Ahairiirwe, sat for her UACE last year at St Mary’s Vocational Kyamuhunga in Bushenyi district.
She’s co currently doing a vocational training in Tailoring and garments cutting at her Parents home in Nyungu2 cell Kahungye parish in Nyabubare subcounty Bushenyi district.
With the skills obtained from school and the training by her mother a reknown expert tailor in Rutookye Town council Mitooma district, Mary Blessing is minting monies from the African wears ‘Bitenge” shirts and cloths tailored several fashions. She said the money will facilitate her raise requirements to pursue her dream course Bachelor of Statistics at one of the country’s best universities when schools resume.
She appeals to government to reach out to some vulnerable students especially ladies in different walks of life and equip them with different life skills such as vocational studies, making sanitary towels, as they are essential in fitting in today’s job markets.
