72 refugees graduate with vocational skills in Kiryandongo, receive startup kits
"Use these tools to earn a living. Most youth don’t want to work; that is why they keep running after vehicles. Be different," Katusabe advised.
Kiryandongo: A total of 72 refugees have graduated with vocational skills after completing a six-month training programme at Kiryandongo Technical Institute and Kigumba Innovative College, in a move aimed at improving self-reliance and employment opportunities within the refugee settlement.
The graduation ceremony, held on Thursday at the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, saw 54 trainees graduate from Kiryandongo Technical Institute and 18 from Kigumba Innovative College.
The graduates were trained in six market-driven trades: Agriculture, Hairdressing, Tailoring and Garment Cutting, Carpentry and Joinery, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Electrical Installation.
The programme was implemented with support from Windle International Uganda, an organisation operating in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement.
According to Windle International Uganda officials, the initiative was designed to promote transparency, inclusion, and gender equality by prioritising persons with disabilities, youth-headed households, and survivors of gender-based violence.
Speaking at the ceremony, Muhamad Kimera, the Business Development and Partnership Lead at Windle International Uganda, said the programme was responding to one of the biggest challenges facing refugees lack of recognised qualifications.
“Most of the refugees have been missing out on employment because they don’t have papers to recognize them. These UVTAB certificates will help them,” Kimera said.
To support graduates in transitioning into employment and self-employment, Windle International Uganda provided startup kits matching each trainee’s area of specialization.
The graduates also received Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) certificates, while the project covered tuition, training materials, UVTAB registration and assessment fees, and practical assessment tools.
Officials said the programme was informed by a labour market assessment, which identified a growing demand for vocational skills, particularly among newly arrived refugees.
The Chief Guest, Johnson Katusabe, the Kiryandongo Inspector of Schools, urged the graduates to make productive use of the equipment they had received.
“Use these tools to earn a living. Most youth don’t want to work; that is why they keep running after vehicles. Be different,” Katusabe advised.
Sarah Amooti Burungi, the Education Focal Person in the Office of the Prime Minister, encouraged the graduates to become role models and agents of positive change within their communities.
Meanwhile, Leonard Obua, the Principal of Kiryandongo Technical Institute, commended Windle International Uganda for supporting vocational training for refugees, saying the partnership had empowered vulnerable communities with practical skills.
Okot Calvin Denis, the Principal of Panyadoli Self Help Vocational Institute, said the institution continues to train students in various vocational disciplines despite financial constraints.
The graduates expressed gratitude to Windle International Uganda, the training institutions, and other partners for equipping them with practical skills and tools that will enable them to improve their livelihoods and build a better future.
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