Jobless youth told to join skilling projects
UAE ambassador to Uganda Abdalla AlShamsi (right) and the national coordinator in the office of NRM chairman, Ms Hadijah Namyalo, hand over ramadan packages to Muslim students in Kampala on Wednesday. PHOTO/SYLIVIA KATUSHABE
What you need to know:
- The leaders cautioned the youth against being used by politicians for cheap popularity.
The National Coordinator in the office of the National Resistance Movement chairman, Ms Hadijah Uzeiye Namyalo, has urged the youth to embrace government skilling programmes.
Ms Namyalo said hands-on skills are the only way to reduce the rate of youth unemployment in the country.
She noted that to help the youth, the office of the national chairman has embarked on a campaign to change their lives through skilling them.
“The government has tried to support the youth through various programmes such as the Youth Livelihood programme, which was designed to skill them and empower job creation. We also extend grants to small groups of entrepreneurs to help them start small businesses and create employment for other young job seekers,’’ she said.
The other programmes are Emyooga, and Operation Wealth Creation and the most recent one is the Parish Development Model, all aiming at empowering the youth.
Ms Namyalo made the remarks while distributing Ramathan packages to Muslim students from various universities at her office in Kyambogo, Kampala, yesterday.
Ms Namyalo cautioned the youth against being used by politicians for cheap popularity. “I still urge all the youth not to allow themselves to be used for personal gains,” she said.
She appreciated the embassy of United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Uganda for supporting Muslim students during the month of Ramadan.
She further revealed that the embassy donated 10,000 Ramathan packages to students to help them end the holy month.
The UAE Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Abdalla AlShamsi, advised the youth to strive for a successful future.
“You are the young generation that this country is looking up to, so desist from destructive politics and protect your country. You are the leaders of the future,” he said.
Mr AlShamsi also said UAE will partner with the Office of the National Chairman to get jobs for unemployed youth in the UAE countries, besides offering scholarships.
“I want to appreciate President Museveni for supporting the youth in Ugandan, East Africa and the world at large. I am here because of the good relationship between Uganda and our countries,” Mr AlShamsi said.
Ms Sharitah Namugaya, a student at IUIU Kibuli campus, said they are scared of finishing school and failing to find jobs.
“You can do agriculture and other small-scale businesses such as bakery to earn a living. Although youth may think it is not work, but if you earn something from it, you are already working,” Ms Namugaya said.
In Uganda, adolescents and youth comprise the biggest population. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2014 Census, 78 percent of Uganda’s population is below 30 years.
Govt statistics
At least 120,459 workers left Uganda between January 2022 and December 2023, according to data from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
The report titled: Labour Externalisation Statistics for the period 2022 to 2023 indicates that women dominated the search for employment out of Uganda, forming 77.5 percent or 109,773 compared to 10,866 males.
Middle East, like in the last
10 years, remain the destination of choice with at least 89.1 percent or 107,448 out of the 120,459 workers leaving Uganda for Saudi Araba.
