By Isaac Akugizibwe
Kampala
Vulnerable Youth living in the slums of Namuwongo are on course to change their lives as Rotary finally began to teach them skills that they can base on to earn a living amidst adversity. This follows the commencement of the long awaited Namuwongo Basic Education,Literacy, and Economic Empowerment Project, 2023/24 on Saturday 26th August 2023 which is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Muyenga and is being jointly implemented by six Rotaract clubs.
Held at Kanyogoga Parish church,the project began with with book and paper bag making and according to the trainers, students paid serious attention and were active through out the four hour session.
The Namuwongo Basic Education,Literacy, and Economic Empowerment Project, 2023/24 involves training in making soap, paper bags, reusable sanitary towels,candles, tailoring, basic computer skills ,financial literacy and sexual reproductive awareness.Launched at the Muyenga community center on Saturday 29th July 2023,the project is set to last six months.
According to John Mukiibi,the project coordinator who is the president of the Rotaract club of Muyenga , this project is being implemented quarterly and that the first quarter started on Saturday 26th August ,2023.
“We have 50 learners per quarter and the sessions are being conducted twice a month, strictly on weekends. We intend to teach different skills per session and our trainers are already geared up to serve. Today we only had book making and making paper bags and I can reliably confirm that some individuals won’t be the same from now onwards,” he said.
According to Batamye Umar Isabirye the President of the Rotaract club of Kampala Muyenga Breeze,this project is aimed at contributing towards professionalization of the local population, schools, equipping them with technical, entrepreneurship and life skills so as to develop their capabilities that can enable them expand and diversify their business, or transit and engage in other robust economic activities, and also at aims Saving lives of mothers and children that end up losing life while giving birth.
“We want to contribute towards professionalization of country’s population that include Youth and women especially in slums like Namuwongo. We also intend to enlarge income streams of Youth and women, hence making them more robust as well as enable the illiterate, acquire knowledge and skills that would help them start their own businesses, hence improving on the level of employment,”he said.
He added that the turnup on Saturday was quite encouraging though it was Abit lower than anticipated.
“One thing we are happy about is that everyone who turned up during the launch of this project has come, generally, the turn up is encouraging.”
The Rotaract clubs involved in this project include; the Rotaract club of Kampala Muyenga breeze, rotaract club of Muyenga, Rotaract club of Kyengera, KIU, Clerk International University and the Rotaract club of Bwebajja.
Isabirye also clarified that all the Rotaract clubs are playing the role of implementing the project while the Rotary club of Muyenga will sponsor the project.
David Mulumba,the local Council chairperson of Kanyoga,one of the zones that makeup Namuwongo expressed gratitude towards the rotaractors for choosing to help people his Community change their mindset.
“Many people in Uganda are affected by the mindset problem , I want to thank Rotary for this initiative. This is a great chance for our people to transform. In this generation, you need to change your mindset to survive,” he said.
“This program has no politics, we are fighting for you to become well off. Let’s use this chance and one more time,I want to thank Rotary for thinking about us,” he added.
Namuwongo is regarded as one of the biggest slums in Kampala where residents often face economic hardships, with many working in informal or low-paying jobs. Unemployment rates are high,teenage pregnancies is a norm and access to education and good healthcare are limited, further perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
With projects like this,there is hope that the youth in this slum will enventually turn their lives around.
