By Our Reporter,
KAMPALA
Women and youth rights activists have urged the Government of Uganda to establish more vocational and skills centers across the country. These centers will not only empower women and youth to improve their livelihoods but also help address the alarming unemployment rates in the country.
This call was made during the graduation ceremony of 25 Women Market and Street Vendors (WMSVs) on November 20, 2024, in Bank Village, Naguru. Organized by the Naguru Women Market Street Vendors Cooperative, which is one of several cooperatives supported by the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) Network in Nakawa, Kampala Central, and Kawempe Divisions, the ceremony was filled with a profound sense of triumph and empowerment. These women, once overlooked by society, proudly donned their gowns, with their faces shining with pride as they celebrated not only the completion of a crafts and shoe-making course but also the breaking of gender barriers.
Sandra Nassali, the Regional Advocacy and Communication Coordinator of SIHA Network, remarked, today, we celebrate not just the skills learned by these women, but the strength and resilience that has carried them to this moment. This graduation is a testament that no matter where we come from, we all have the power to shape our own future.
She also called on the Government of Uganda to establish more vocational and skills centers at highly subsidized rates, empowering young people and women with the skills to earn a livelihood and fulfill their dreams and aspirations.
While the graduates were grateful for the progress made under SIHA Networks economic empowerment program, they highlighted challenges such as a lack of modern machines and limited access to favorable markets for their products. They appealed to the government to create markets for locally made goods and provide funding to support their ventures.
Paul Mugambe, Mayor of Nakawa Division, also spoke at the ceremony, urging the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to allow the newly trained vendors to operate without interference. He expressed concern that KCCAs taxes and heavy-handed enforcement were hindering womens businesses. These graduates are just starting; they are crawling. KCCA should not come for them. Its like washing and drying clothes in the soil, said Mayor Mugambe, calling for a one-year special consideration before taxation for the graduates.
SIHAs Regional Director, Hala Al-Karib, commended the Naguru Community Leaders for their support and active participation in SIHAs projects and urged the women to keep pushing forward for their economic independence as it will inspire generations to come.
Community members and leaders who attended the ceremony also called on SIHA Network and other like-minded organizations to include men and youth in future vocational training programs, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in skilling initiatives.
Graduate Reactions
While Florence Achiro, a Street Vendor, LC3 Councilor for Naguru II Parish, and Chairperson of the Naguru Women Market and Street Vendors’ Cooperative, was very proud of this moment, she called on the government to include vendors in programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, UWEP, and GROW.
She also noted that while SIHA initiatives, such as training in leadership, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and livelihood skills, have empowered women in Naguru and surrounding communities, much work remains to fully realize womens rights.
