KAMPALA — Mr. Steven Keddi, the head of Keddi Foundation, has urged Ugandan authorities to invest more in skilling the youth to help spur social economic transformation of the country.
Mr. Keddi said says they have realized that many youths want to work, but lack the skills and accompanying support. This, he believe is what has pushed some into illegal activities.
Speaking during a guided tour of Kanyiike Skilling Centre in Nansana Municipality on Wednesday, Mr. Keddi urged the government to set aside more funds for skilling underprivileged youth.
Mr. Keddi was, however, happy to see the beneficiaries producing several quality products within a short time of their training and strongly advised them never to slide back into bad habits of alcoholism, drugs and going to the streets.
“We come here to see the work that is going on because Keddi Foundation and Kanyiike Skilling Center, we patterned some time ago to make sure that we promote community skilling of the youth. Community skilling, is very important because countries like Korea, Japan or China, have evolved because of community skilling. 90% of their population are job creators,” he said.
He added: “My message to my best president, or to my good government of Uganda, is that if we can promote a community skilling all over the country, Uganda will be developed faster than any other country, because we will have more young job creators than job seekers”.
Mr. Keddi also announced that his foundation has earmarked up to USD 12 million about UGX 45.7 billion to help support youth skilling programmes countrywide.
“We decided that over 12 million US dollars will be dispatched within this year, such that we do community skilling all over the country from Kisoro, to Arua, from Gulu to Kalangala,” he said.
“As the foundation, we appeal to each and every one including government and individuals and all those who have money to join hands and support youth skilling programmes.
Keddi Foundation has also partnered with Uganda Police and Kanyiike Skilling Center to extend skilling programmes to young people on Kampala streets.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the programme will help to reduce crime in the Kampala Metropolitan Area.
“We believe if youth like these ones are taken to become a carpenter or mechanic, it’s something that is going to help him and also his friends and family and at the end of the day, it decreases the number of crimes we have and also the would be suspects on our Kampala streets,” Owoyesigyire said.
Government has initiated various youth to create jobs and wealth especially for youth and women.
The government has provided capitalization of Uganda Development Bank to the tune of UGX1 trillion for the 2020/21 financial year. Before this, UDB had been capitalized by close to UGX400 billion.
This fund is supposed to address the high cost of borrowing in the commercial banks.
