Minister Balaam Applauds President’s Efforts in Youth Skill Empowerment

Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, commended President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for combatting unemployment by empowering the youth with skills.

He emphasized that this endeavor has effectively transformed young people into job creators.

The minister highlighted that all government initiatives, including the Presidential industrial hubs, aim to facilitate the integration of all Ugandans into the monetary economy, aligning with the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) transformative agenda.

“With the skills you have acquired, there’s no need to seek employment. Utilize your skills to establish your own ventures and generate income. I urge you to utilize the funds provided through the Youth Livelihood program to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey,” Hon. Balaam encouraged.

The minister made these remarks at the graduation ceremony held at the Mengo Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub in Bugerere-Nazigo, Kayunga district, yesterday.

A total of 462 trainees from 11 districts in the central region completed vocational training in seven disciplines: bakery & confectionery, welding and metal fabrications, leather processing (shoe-making), tailoring and designing, hairdressing and makeup, building and construction practice, as well as carpentry & joinery.

Hon. Balaam pledged to mobilize fellow ministers in the cabinet to allocate funds to provide start-up tools for the skilled youth.

Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, Minister for Kampala City and Metropolitan Affairs, expressed pride in the skilling program, citing its success in providing employment opportunities for numerous youths. She highlighted that thousands of youths in Kampala alone have received free vocational training.

The skilled youths were awarded a Uganda Vocational Qualifications Level One Certificate by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), equivalent to the Uganda Certificate of Education level, according to Safinah Nakyobe, Deputy Director in charge of qualification standards, DIT.

“This certificate will facilitate your entry into the workforce. The products you’ve created are of high quality and can be immediately marketed. Please don’t let your skills go to waste. I also extend gratitude to H.E the President for championing the skilling initiative, as it has alleviated the financial struggles faced by many unskilled Ugandans,” Nakyobe concluded.