According to recent statistics, youth in Uganda mostly The Central Region has the highest rate of unemployment due to lack of skills in what they study in schools. Most of our schools provide a lot of theoretical classes leading to kid’s failure in selecting their right path to what can be vital to their development after school. A senior six (6) leaver can’t handle a skills job at a local factory or inventory store to raise a little portion for their tuition come the next University intake which can be very helpful for them to lend a hand to their parents when it comes to financing some simple requirements like notes and transport costs through campus.
The Youth deeply affected by rampant unemployment and low access to jobs due to lack of hands-on skills drives me to ask you parents with young school leavers, “What is your P7 son doing in this vacation that adds value to his nurturing and development?”
Children are particularly vulnerable in these contexts with very little opportunities to come together to express their thoughts and feelings and learn from one another. Well this holiday “The Boys Mentorship Program is under the “Godfrey Kutesa Foundation” In Partnership with Kampala Capital City Authority – KCCA – LANDSCAPING DEPARTMENT have something we as parents should look at investing our time in if we are to fight the low levels of unemployment for the new generations to come for this starts with us;
The first phase (WEEK ONE), sessions of the implementation of the programme will be dedicated to enriching the boys with developmental skills hands on including; Boys & Construction, Boys & Flower Gardening, Boys & Landscaping, Boys & Tree planting, Boys & Engineering where kids will be able to express their opinions and to get to know each other through the use of cooperative work environments and highly participatory activities.
The second phase (WEEK TWO), Job Placement Week.
The Boys will be placed in different organizations to learn basic of work. Such organizations include but not limited to; Supermarkets, Bookshops, Cafeterias, Coffee Shops, Banking Halls, Radio Stations. By placing our boys to work in such influential places a few days, (Mon-Sat), our boys will be able to learn one of the most important but a rare skill in life, The People Relations skill. The boys will learn how to interact with people in real life besides watching TV and playing Play Stations. With such busy places, boys will participate in (light) work that requires communication skills. Such work will include but not limited to; Welcoming Customers (with a smile), taking and making food orders, clearing plates in cafeterias, cleaning work areas, collecting/pushing trolleys at supermarkets, acting as office messengers in banking halls, document/paper arranging in offices, presenting on Radio as DJ’s and much more.
The Last Phase (WEEK THREE), will be mostly dedicated to engagement and assessing what the young ones have learnt through this great venture.
“I am very happy to see my child in this program because they not only nurture values but also have fun while doing it. I am happy seeing this”, expressed the mother (name withheld) of one of the children studying at Naalya hillside primary school.
It is expected that the children who will participate in this program, will be awarded certificates assessing their skills, continue working with their peers and promoting spaces for children’s participation to contribute to transforming their communities.
