Today, she stands among the 51,657 students who have gained practical skills through the Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Girl and Boy Child and are now earning a living through her tailoring craft.

“I joined the program after losing my job and finding myself uncertain about the future,” Nabirye shared.

“I had heard about this government skilling initiative aimed at equipping youth to become job creators; so, I decided to enroll. One thing that surprised me was that we weren’t asked to pay any fees for the six-month training. We were well taken care of, and our only responsibility was to attend all the sessions,” she recounted.

Nabirye emphasized that the skilling initiative focuses on hands-on training in practical fields such as tailoring, offering a sharp contrast to the largely theoretical education many Ugandans experience. Since graduating from the Presidential Skilling Initiative for the Boy and Girl Child in 2023, she has been able to create her own employment opportunities, supplementing her income by sewing gowns for her local church.

Additionally, Nabirye shared that the initiative recently provided her and her colleagues with high-profile contracts, including tailoring uniforms for the Non-Alignment Movement Summit held earlier this year and preparing gowns for Makerere University’s upcoming graduation ceremony.

Another beneficiary, Nantumbwe, learned hairdressing through the initiative.

“My mother encouraged me to join, explaining that the government program was focused on practical skills. I received free training and left with skills that enabled me to become a job creator rather than a job seeker,” she explained.

The initiative, spearheaded by Dr Faith Mirembe Katana, the director, aims to transform Kampala’s youth into skilled entrepreneurs. Dr Katana highlighted that 90 per cent of the training is practical, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared to start businesses, generate income, and contribute to job creation.

She explained that the program initially focused on the girl child when it was launched in 2017, but in 2019 expanded to include young men.

“Our goal is to empower over 10,000 disadvantaged youth in Kampala by 2025,” Katana stated, adding that the initiative aligns with President Yoweri Museveni’s emphasis on socioeconomic transformation to create job opportunities, boost household incomes, and foster a self-sustaining workforce.

Under the initiative, students are trained in various trades, including tailoring, shoemaking, carpentry, plumbing, electronics, and hairdressing. Katana noted that training programs are evaluated by the directorate of Industrial Training under the ministry of Education, which certifies students and often provides employment opportunities.

Many graduates are hired as training assistants, forming a core part of the current staff, ensuring that the program remains grounded in peer-driven mentorship. The initiative targets Kampala’s vulnerable youth across five divisions—Nakawa, Lubaga, Makindye, Kawempe and Kampala Central— operating nine training centers located in community spaces such as Wandegeya market, Mulago Community hall and Luzira prisons.

Through these centers, the program has become a lifeline for many who would otherwise struggle to find sustainable employment. Offering practical skills such as weaving, bakery, construction and welding, the initiative plays a key role in addressing the challenges of unemployment among Uganda’s youth.

In addition to fostering self-reliance, the program contributes to Uganda’s broader goals of industrialization, import substitution and export promotion by creating a skilled labor force poised to drive economic growth.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Since its inception, the Presidential Skilling Initiative has enrolled over 61,924 students in various practical training programs, with 51,657 graduates to date and an additional 10,267 awaiting graduation, according to Katana. This program has played a significant role in reducing unemployment, with 5,000 graduates creating jobs that contribute to Uganda’s economy and narrow the country’s skilled labor gap.

The initiative itself has also generated direct employment, supporting a staff of 236, including 110 former trainees. A noteworthy partnership with the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has enabled many trainees without national identification cards to acquire them, which opens doors for them to participate in both government and non-government activities requiring formal identification.

Additionally, the initiative has collaborated on high-profile projects, such as sewing 1,800 driver uniforms for the Non-Aligned Movement Summit, which led to a contract from the State House to supply garments, further showcasing the program’s impact. The initiative has also contributed to reducing criminality by offering at-risk youth skill-building and rehabilitation opportunities.

CHALLENGES

One challenge the initiative has encountered is the tendency of some graduates to sell off provided equipment, such as sewing machines, and use their one million shilling seed capital for personal expenses, such as purchasing high-end phones.

In response, the program stopped issuing direct funds to individual graduates and instead encouraged them to form supervised groups. These groups are then provided with seed capital and shared equipment, fostering accountability and ensuring that resources are used productively.

FUTURE PLANS

Looking forward, the Presidential Initiative for Skilling the Girl and Boy Child aims to establish the Kiswa Skilling Centre in Nakawa. This new facility will serve as a production line and shared workspace for current and former trainees.

To enhance the program’s offerings, the initiative plans to introduce computer literacy training to develop skills in digital marketing and online business. Additionally, a new ceramics course is set to launch by July 2025, aimed at promoting import replacement by equipping trainees with skills for the local production of ceramic goods.

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