In isolated Ugandan communities, it’s difficult for young people to access education and a means of making a living. Only one in four children starting primary school make it to secondary school. Simple supplies and training can vastly improves their life chances. Things like solar lighting and stationery help to keep them studying, while learning vocational skills — tailoring, carpentry, shoe-mending etc — means that young people can start their own businesses.
EXCITING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF NGORA
A Vocational Training Institute will open up a good future, with sustainable livelihoods, for many young people in Ngora district, Eastern Uganda an area of extreme poverty, who rarely have the opportunity of secondary education or training. The Institute will provide them with a way into gainful employment, through IT skills, and vocational training to required government standards, as well as providing facilities to develop all their talents in the arts, music and sports.
Development of the Institute on its 8 acre site, is well under way. Design of the classroom blocks has been completed and 2000 timber and fruit and shade trees have been planted, with bamboo species around the periphery of the land. In time the timber varieties will be used, and replaced, for carpentry classes. Training of young people has taken place in Permaculture food production, and in the making of ecofriendly compressed bricks, which will be used in the construction of the classroom blocks. The initial trainees are selected from each household in the surrounding community and care is taken to include young women and especially teenage mothers.
This year it is proposed to establish livestock systems for teaching purposes, starting with goats as these are vital for the survival of local families. Pigs, poultry, milking cows and fish ponds will follow. Tree and bamboo planting will continue, and students will learn to grow food sustainably. Bees will be essential as pollinators for the crops and fruit trees, and for honey production. Even before the first classroom block for carpentry and construction skills is complete, training of young people from the community can start in carpentry, so basic tools are needed, and some solar lighting. This year’s catalogue gifts will all be of benefit to all these activities.
