By Isaac Akugizibwe,
Kampala
Six Rotaract clubs have combined efforts with the Rotary club of Muyenga to empower the youth in Namuwongo with life changing basic skills in a period of two years. Launched at the Muyenga community center on Saturday 29th July 2023,the project is set to kickoff on 26th August 2023.
The Namuwongo Basic Education,Literacy, and Economic Empowerment Project, 2023/24 will involve training in making soap, paper bags, reusable sanitary towels,candles, tailoring, basic computer skills ,financial literacy and sexual reproductive awareness.
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.
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.
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.
Speaking during the launch ceremony,Rotarian Herbert Lubega who represented the Rotary club of Muyenga said that the club is focused on transforming lives especially in communities surrounding their locality.
“What we are giving you is knowledge and skills to help you and others but also to enable you help your community to develop,” Lubega remarked.
“We as Rotarians,are moving around the world trying to transform lives and that’s why we are here. We are not paid to do what we do, we do it because we want you people to transform your lives and be able to achieve some life goals,”he added.
David Mulumba,the local Council chairperson of Kanyoga,one 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. The president brought us peace and now social economic transformation which means no more sleeping,it’s time to change our minds, home and society. The rotaractors have come to help us,it’s our role to inspire them by committing to learn whatever they have for us,” 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.
According to John Mukiibi,the project coordinator who is the president of the Rotaract club of Muyenga , this project will be implemented quarterly with the first quarter starting on 26th August 26th ,2023.
“We shall have 50 learners per quarter and the sessions will be conducted twice a month, strictly on weekends. We intend to teach different skills per session and our trainers are already geared up to serve,” he said.
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.
