20 EUROPE DAY
Empowerment programme
OLIVE EYOTARU
U
ganda is
home to
35 million
p e o p l e ,
according
to the 2014 Uganda
Population and Housing
Census, out of which 23
per cent, or about eight
million, fall in the bracket
of youths aged between 18
and 30 years.
Ranked among the
countries with the
youngest population
in the world, Ugandas
growing youth
population has brought
with it the challenges of
unemployment.
A 2014 report by
ActionAid Uganda titled,
Lost Opportunity? Gaps
in youth policy and
programming in Uganda,
put the level of youth
unemployment in the
country at 62 per cent.
Bwaise is one of the
areas in Kampala well
known for harbouring
some of the unemployed
youths in the country. It is
one of the largest slums in
Uganda, with an estimated
population of 500,000
people. It is also famed
for accommodating the
poor population, frequent
floods and being a den for
hardcore criminals and
prostitutes.
This picture has for
decades been the poster
for Bwaise, a community
seen to acknowledge the
daily hustles of life. But for
four youths, Muhammad
Kisirisa, Jaffer Nyombi,
Richard Kafuma and Brian
Mugagga, growing up in
the slums taught them the
meaning of a hard life,
having hustled to pay for
their school fees.
HISTORY OF AFFCAD
In 2009, the quartet
resolved to start Action for
Fundamental Change and
Development (AFFCAD)
as a vehicle to transform
the community they live
in.
Our aim was to
transform the lives of
youths, children and
women in Kampalas
poorest slum area, which
has for years been riddled
with prostitution, street
crime and drunkards. We
thought it prudent to give
back to our community,
Kisirisa, one of the co-
founders, explains.
With a high
unemployment rate in
Bwaise, AFFCADs target
was to focus on educating
the communities,
given that there is no
government school within
the area.
A student at Bwaise Business and Vocational Institute demonstrates her manicure skills on a client
AFFCAD lead co-founder Muhammad Kisirisa
What does an
uneducated population
contribute to society and
the economy? We thought
that by empowering
the population through
providing an education,
it would produce lawyers,
doctors and the like, who
could give back to the
community, he adds.
AFFCAD e m b a r ke d
on providing health
education, distributing
condoms, mosquito nets
and running community
health workshops, such as
on HIV/Aids awareness
and sexual reproductive
health. They also had
business training for
women and gave micro
loans to youths to start up
business.
In 2013, the Bwaise
Yo u t h Employment
Centre (BYEC) opened
its doors to the youths in
the area, many of whom
were school dropouts or
had never set foot in a
classroom. The Bwaise
to support the project,
prompting Kisirisa and his
co-founders to approach
the European Union
and presented a project
proposal for a grant. The
EU had not supported a
Business and Vocational
Institute is a training
space which provides
leadership, vocational
and entrepreneurship
skills to help youth start
up their businesses.The
centre offers free, six-
month business courses
in photography and video
editing; tailoring and
fashion design; electrical
installation; arts and local
crafts; computer graphics;
catering and food services,
as well as hairdressing
and cosmetology.
Kisirisa says on top of
these courses, students
are also taught financial
literacy, public speaking
and leadership skills.
The centre initially
received financial support
from United States
Agency for International
Development (USAID)
and Polish Aid.
EU SUPPORT
In 2015, the vocational
institute ran out of funds
Monday, May 8 - 9, 2017 The Observer
programme that targets fo r g ove r n m e n t to
slum communities before pay keen attention
and warmed up to the to growingeconomic
AFFCAD project. inequities, especially
In October 2016, the in slum areas, noting
EU head of delegation that they could become
to Uganda, Ambassador hotbeds of violence and
Kristian Schmidt, religious radicalism.
launched a Shs 16.4 billion Slums could become
(4.3m Euro) project to islands of marginalization,
promote social cohesion desperation and lost
and stability in Ugandas opportunities. A spark
slum populations. The of misguided ideology in
project is part of the these slum areas could
EU Emergency Trust start a fire of violence and
Fund for Africa which fragmented communities,
was created in 2016 to Schmidt said.
address the root causes AFFCAD, in partnership
of irregular migration with the International
and displacement and Organisation for
to contribute to better Migration (IOM), will
migration management, implement the four-year
by promoting economic project, which is expected
and equal opportunities, to provideemployment
security and development. and livelihood
It is one of the opportunities to about
components under 1,000 vulnerable slum
theStrengthening Social dwellers, especially
Cohesion and Stability women and youths in the
in the Slum Population slums.
project. Sahra Farah, the IOM
Uganda is among the project manager, says
first African countries to the Strengthening
benefit from thisEU fund. Social Cohesion and
During the launch, Stability in the Slum
Ambassador Schmidt Population project is
emphasized the need geared towards bridging
EUROPEAN UNION REPUBLIC OF UGANDA
PROMOTION OF CHILDREN RIGHTS AT KAMPIRINGISA
NATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTRE (KNRC)
Background
In pursuance of the EU Human Rights and Democracy Country Strategy (DHRCS) priorities for Uganda for the
period 2016-2020, the EU Delegation to Uganda under the auspices of Promoting and Protecting the rights of a
Child as an integral part of the EUs human rights policy, identified Kampiringisa National Rehabilitation Centre
(KNRC) under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development as a beneficiary in extending childrens
well-being and welfare.
The EU Delegation is currently financing a two-year project to promote Child Rights at KNRC jointly working with
the Institution Management and regularly active NGOs namely; Uganda Childrens Centre, Children Justice Initia-
tive and Foodstep Uganda.
Overall Objective: To contribute to the improved well-being and welfare of children during and after Kampir-
ingisa National Rehabilitation Centre within a period of 24 months.
Actions include:
Medical and Health
Provision of energy-saving stoves
Installation of Solar Power
Vocational Skills Training
Agricultural activities
Girls Dormitory construction and simple provisions at the Boys Dormitory
Support to KNRC Secretariat, Evaluation and Audit
Outputs: 300 children reached; 40 acres of farming opened; 65 children skilled; 2 workshops retooled; 200
children resettled; 1 Tractor purchased; 1 mini-van purchased; Dairy cattle and Poultry supported; Borehole and
irrigation system installed; Psycho-social support reinforced; and a vibrant childrens clinic, among others.
We, the coordination team, hereby genuinely express our appreciation to the EU Delegation especially on this
memorable Europe Day as EU celebrates its achievement.
For further information contact: UCC, P. O. Box 24127, Kampala
Tel: +256 701 160 333 / +256 772 524 768