Arua youth turn to vocational skills as a pathway to self-reliance

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 170 youth from vulnerable backgrounds in Arua City have completed a three-month vocational training programme, highlighting the growing importance of practical skills development in addressing unemployment and economic vulnerability.

The programme equipped beneficiaries with hands-on skills in tailoring, garment cutting and hairdressing, enabling them to pursue self-employment and generate income within their communities.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Resident City Commissioner Betty Akello Otekat urged the graduates to view the training as a foundation for long-term personal and economic transformation. She encouraged them to maximise their skills by tapping into government livelihood initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM).

Principal Education Officer Raymond Ombere emphasised the importance of persistence and discipline, advising the graduates to continuously sharpen their skills while cultivating a saving culture. He noted that consistent saving, even in small amounts, can provide capital for future growth.

According to Lawrence Econi, an administrator at MunguFeni Foundation, the organisation has trained more than 200 vulnerable people in Arua City this year alone. He encouraged the graduates to immediately apply their skills by starting small enterprises and gradually building them.

Founded by Benard Feni, the foundation has trained over 400 learners since its inception, beginning with an initial cohort of 55 students. The graduation event also provided an opportunity for deeper community engagement, with Feni noting that the foundation is currently implementing five to six community projects targeting more than 300 youths, orphans and underprivileged individuals, including the unemployed, to improve livelihoods and promote self-employment.

The foundation operates largely without external funding, relying on locally mobilised resources to respond to pressing community needs. It has, however, signed a memorandum of understanding with the NGO Forum, which supports about 50 percent of its empowerment activities.

Benard Feni said the organisation was established to empower vulnerable individuals and communities through compassion, service and faith.

“The foundation was founded to uplift and transform lives through charity, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development, guided by Christian values and the belief that with God, all things are possible,” he noted.