Life Concern Center Equips Zombo Youth with Practical Skills

Zombo: Parents and guardians have been challenged to increase support for their children who complete skills training programmes so they can turn acquired competencies into sustainable livelihoods and self-employment.

 The call came during a colourful pass-out ceremony at Life Concern Skills Development Centre in Aluka cell, Dwonga Ward, Paidha Town Council in Zombo District.

The occasion was graced by the Prime Minister of Alur Kingdom, Prince Lawrence Opar Angala, as guest of honour, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner of Zombo, Bruno Manano, Zombo LCV Chairman Oyulu Oruna James, technical staff from Zombo District and Paidha Town Council, and representatives of Kaal Omua.

Graduands, accompanied by parents and guardians, first marched through the streets of Paidha before the formal event on the school grounds on Friday.

Trainees successfully completed a six-month programme in trades including hairdressing, motorcycle mechanics, filming and videography, building/construction, tailoring, and carpentry.

During the event, best-performing students received start-up kits to launch their own ventures, thanks to the leadership of the school.

Mr Francis Ayikanying Okweda, the school principal, commended parents and schools for sending more students to the school. Ayikanying said this year, the school registered 130 students, higher than the numbers registered last year.

The students were examined under the module assessment administered by the Uganda Vocational Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) and will be handed certificates in a few weeks.

Some graduates expressed hope of securing wage jobs or launching micro-enterprises in trades such as mechanics, tailoring, hairdressing and construction, with others assuring of additional benefits including greater financial independence, thanks to the employable skills obtained.

Mr Kakura Emmy Kizito, executive director of Life Concern, urged parents to offer the necessary support and motivation so that the students put the knowledge attained into practice.

According to Kakura, the focus of Life Concern is “to equip young people with practical, job-ready competencies that improve employability, support self-employment and raise earnings.”

Studies and programme evaluations in Uganda show that formal vocational training can increase the likelihood of working in skilled sectors, boost employment rates and deliver sustained income gains over several years.

Alur Kingdom Prime Minister, Prince Lawrence Opar Angala urged the graduates to “put your new skills to good use and to further your studies,” noting that Ker Alur offers many educational opportunities in terms of bursaries and scholarships for the youth.

The LCV chairperson of Zombo, James Oruna Oyulu, urged graduates to use the skills attained productively, calling upon parents to offer them the necessary support so that they become productive. He also cautioned young people against unprofitable activities and encouraged them to create jobs for themselves while using resources productively.

Assistant RDC Bruno Manano, praised Life Concern for supplementing government efforts in youth skilling and service delivery.

Life Concern (LICO) is an indigenous Zombo-based non-governmental organization whose work focuses on empowering vulnerable communities through education, livelihoods support, financial inclusion, environmental conservation, human rights advocacy and psychosocial interventions.

The organization’s Skills Development Centre in Paidha forms part of broader efforts, including the “Alochi Ku Somu” (Winners with Education) project implemented with partners such as Nebbi NGO Forum and CEFORD, with funding support from the Swiss organization CO-OPERAID.

The center provides practical, market-relevant training for adolescents and young adults, frequently pairing skills acquisition with start-up kits and entrepreneurship guidance.

This Life Concern initiative in the rural Zombo District directly addresses persistent unemployment cases. Uganda faces persistent challenges with youth unemployment and insufficient formal job opportunities relative to the number of young people entering the labour market each year.

According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics and National Planning Authority data, overall unemployment has risen to about 11–12.4 percent and youth unemployment (ages 18–30) reached 16.1 percent in 2024 in some reports.

National Planning Authority data show new jobs rising from roughly 285,000 in FY2020/21 to a peak of about 409,000 in FY2022/23, then falling to around 319,000 in FY2023/24 before recovering to approximately 352,000 in FY2024/25.

According Executive Director Kakura, the Skills Development Centre play an important complementary role by “ equipping youth with practical skills and encouraging parental and community support so graduates can create or secure work rather than remain idle”

Under the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Policy 2019, government recognizes that effective technical skills are vital for the individual, enterprise and the economy since they lead to self-reliance at the family level, increased productivity, profits and higher incomes for the nation.

The shortage of these skills retards the capacity to solve problems, slows down the process of national transformation, and prolongs the journey to modern living.

According to the Education ministry, Uganda’s education system has been slow in bringing about the critical technical and vocational arm of education because it takes a complete paradigm shift from the current skewed theory-based education and even the subsector delivery arrangement termed as Business, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) to now a new TVET System that focuses on relevant skills development for true national independence, development, enhanced productivity and economic growth.