Uganda: Skills for Peace and Income
In common with other war-torn countries in Africa and elsewhere, the alleviation of poverty in Uganda has been hampered by years - in the case of Uganda, two decades - of political conflict
The war in northern Uganda not only wreaked havoc with the area’s infrastructure, but also denied an entire generation of young men and women the chance of education and occupational training. Tragically, the only skill that many of them had mastered was how to handle a gun. The negotiated settlement of 2002 marked a turningpoint in their lives and opened doors to a new future.
UNIDO was initially contacted by the Ugandan Veteran Assistance Board to participate in a special programme launched by the President for the reintegration of excombatants and former rebels in the Yumbe district of northern Uganda. One of the distinct drawbacks of training efforts up to that point was that while some veterans had been taught new skills, they had not been provided with the tool kits to practise those skills upon completion of their training.
On-the-job training holds a special appeal for many, particularly those who are in a hurry to acquire the new abilities that will help raise them out of poverty and ease their return to civilian life. Working alongside a local nongovernmental organization, Participatory Rural Action for Development, UNIDO devised the Skills for Peace and Income Project (SKIPI), which would give students a range of technical abilities as well as a grounding in entrepreneurship. Discussions are under way with the Ministry of Education to put in place a nationally recognized curriculum.
The first step was to construct the buildings for the New Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) to house the courses and this proved a successful training exercise in itself. While some participants learned bricklaying and masonry, others were taught carpentry and joinery and built all the furniture for the training centre. Others opted for subjects ranging from metalwork to honey processing and motor mechanics to entrepreneurship development. Since few students had received any formal schooling and many were illiterate, theoretical courses were considered of limited value, and the emphasis was placed on “learning by doing”. The NVTI has served as a model for a new approach. The hands-on training ably demonstrated that the acquisition of new skills did not necessarily involve sitting at a classroom desk for four years. Although the majority of students were war veterans, some 30 per cent were women who were either victims of violence or had been left to fend for themselves. Those who opted to learn dressmaking were delighted to receive a sewing machine each at the end of course, enabling them to start work immediately. Similarly, students in other disciplines received the tools of their trade upon completion of the course. This has enabled them to begin earning a living without delay. Shortly after graduation, one group of five or six young men formed their own building company and opened for business. In the next few weeks, a meeting of alumni will be held where former students will exchange stories about the way the training centre has helped them. To date, some 355 young people, ranging in age from 18 to 35, have received or are receiving training. They, in turn, are able to train others in their newly acquired skills.
Building work was sufficiently advanced for the official opening to be held in September 2007, in the presence of the State Minister of Industry and representatives from the donor country, Japan. This event proved to be a highlight in the lives of the young students, who, perhaps for the very first time, experienced a feeling of recognition and self-worth.
