Biggest student batch ever enrolled in Rwamwanja vocational education, Uganda
Finn Church Aid (FCA) doubled the capacity of its training center in Rwamwanja refugee settlement, meeting the growing demand for vocational skills in the settlement and host community.
New students from Rwamwanja refugee settlement and the host community gathered for orientation day in late August. Photo: FCA/ Lilian Musoki
FCA has completed infrastructural developments for its Business, Technical and Vocational Education Training (BTVET) in Rwamwanja refugee settlement, Uganda.
The capacity boost enabled the enrolment of 500 new trainees – the biggest number ever for the six-month training. The growing demand for vocational skills is evident. This summer, the project received 2 481 BTVET applications from the settlement and host community.
“I am glad I was selected for the course of tailoring. I cannot wait to improve my standards of living by earning my own money, without depending on handouts”, says Irafashe Jean, one of the new students, who took part in the orientation sessions in late August.
Vocational education for youth aged 15–25 years
Earlier, the centre could only take on 250 trainees per intake. In scaling up the number of refugee and host community students with UNHCR funding, the project constructed two Community Based Training centres and added two classroom blocks to the existing one at Nkoma.
Moreover, 90 youth have been enrolled for three-month courses at the Community Based Training centres, which limit walking distances to the training. The selection criteria is based on protection concerns, such as unaccompanied minors, child headed households, teenage mothers and persons with special needs. This brings the total intake for August 2018 – January 2019 to 590 youth.
The project continues to provide training for youth out of school aged 15–25 years. The skills provided as selected by the youth are based on the market assessment.
Earlier this year, 250 youth received skills in five six-month courses, including textile and garment cutting, agricultural training, hairdressing and cosmetology, blacksmith welding and sandal making.
The project’s target is to reach 840 youth by close of 2018. The project will continue to follow up on trainees after the training, provide counselling and link trainees to potential employment through personal entrepreneurship and private sector jobs.
Read more about Finn Church Aid’s work in Uganda by clicking here.