PSFU in push to bridge youth unemployment gap 

Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) has launched a Youth Engagement Initiative to bridge the widening unemployment gap.   

The Initiative, which is part of the broader Young Africa Works - Enhancing Lead Firm Structure for Youth Employment in Uganda project implemented in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, comes at a time when Uganda continues to grapple with youth unemployment and under-employment. 

Between eight and 10 million youth in Uganda are within the working age group, according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics, but many remain out of work due a mismatch between available opportunities and the number of job seekers.  

Currently, about 800,000 youths reach working age every year, according World Bank yet, going by National Development Plan III data, only 500,000 jobs are created annually.

Speaking at the launch in Kampala yesterday, PSFU Chairman Humphrey Nzeyi, said PSFU is committed to creating a new generation of young entrepreneurs, who will in-turn employ thousands of youth.  

He noted that there is need for more youth-focused programmes and interventions, stressing that youth need to engage in decisions affecting their livelihood. 

“One way we are doing this is through the Lead Firm Structure project which has since 2019 had tremendous achievements in onboarding and engaging young people across the country.”

Since its launch in 2019, the Lead Firm Structure project has mobilised 137,077 youth across Uganda and transited 96,270 into meaningful employment, with a target of creating at least 300,000 jobs by 2025. 

The Youth Engagement Initiative also seeks to provide youth with a platform to advocate for their interests, and actively influence policies and decision-making within the private sector. 

Mr Apollo Muyanja-Mbaziira, the Lead Firm Structure project director, said the primary focus is to emphasize the value of including youth in decision-making. 

“The primary focus is on emphasizing the value of including youth in decision-making processes within the private sector. Additionally, the launch is introducing the objectives and intentions of
the youth engagement campaign to a wider audience of stakeholders,” he said. 

Youth speak-out

Ms Brenda Mbambu, a numerator and bursery bed operator at Tuton Uganda, said minus what PSFU and partners are already doing, it is prudent that more partnerships are created
with local structures such as religious and cultural institutions because these have a lot of youth concentration and thus can be used to amplify the employment, innovation, and youth’s start- ups message.

Mr Simon Peter Besigwa, a director from Abesigwa Dairies, said that even though Uganda has proven conditions necessary for youthful entrepreneurship to thrive, young people have big dreams which need consistent mentorship, and support to succeed.

Dignified  work

PSFU is implementing Lead Firm Structure project in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, whose ultimate goal is to create dignified  work for young Ugandans, 70% of whom are young women. 

Since its launch in 2019, the Lead Firm Structure project has mobilised 137,077 young people across Uganda and managed to transit 96,270 youth into meaningful work, with a target of creating at least 300,000 jobs by 2025.

[email protected]