Skilling the Youths in the West Nile Region of Uganda

CIDA Uganda is creating a critical mass of healthy and productive human capital, out of Uganda’s young population age structure.

The West Nile region is a major refugee-hosting area in Uganda that borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan. The people of the region share many similarities in language, culture, and history with their neighbors in these two countries – critical factors explaining the refugee influx.  Despite the so many challenges that rotate around this, majorly, this region has high and rising numbers of adolescents and young people and youths not in education, employment or training

In a period of four (4) years, we intend to;

Contribute to the change of the current population age structure into one that is predominantly of working age group by creating a critical mass of healthy and productive human capital, out of Uganda’s young population age structure.

The project aims to empower jobless and under privileged youth living in the eleven (11) district of local governments (Pakwach, Nebbi, Zombo, Madi Okollo, Arua, Koboko, Maracha, Yumbe, Moyo, Obongi, and Adjumani) that have a projected total population of 3.2 million people by providing comprehensive technical skills training. Through various trainings, youth will be taught different skills in carpentry, Sewing and Tailoring, Knitting, Computer training, welding and metal fabricating and baking. Other skills like Paper bag making, Brick-laying concrete Practice, Leather Tanning, Hand Craft training, Plumbing, Mechanics and Party Decoration, Environment management, horticultural production, making soap, charcoal briquettes, jelly will be added.

The project targets: Youth NEETS (not in education, employment or training including survivors of teenage pregnancies), Youth living with Disabilities (PWDs) in the West Nile region of Uganda 

1. Over 45,000 individuals (including youth, women of reproductive age, PWDs and survivors of teenage pregnancies) economically empowered. 
2. Over 45,000 out of school (adolescents, youth/young adults, including PWDs), directly reached with SRHR/SGBV information, education and social norms transformation.
3. Create twenty two (22) skills training centres across 11 districts that make up the west Nile region. · Directly Skill 45,000 youths and young people in the West Nile region of Uganda as well as impact over 200,000 livelihood s in the region.
4. Initiate over 200 business and investment start-ups with the West Nile region and indirectly create over 4,000 employment opportunities in the region.
5. Reduction in HIV infection among adolescents especially girls.