Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni has unveiled a new financial empowerment initiative targeting youth undergoing training at the Presidential Skilling Centres in Kampala.
Under the directive, Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (Saccos) will be established in each of the city’s five divisions to provide access to startup capital for skilled youth.
The initiative forms part of the President’s broader Kisanja for Socio-Economic Transformation agenda, which emphasises practical training, financial inclusion, and enterprise development as cornerstones for reducing youth unemployment and poverty.
Each division—Central, Nakawa, Makindye, Rubaga, and Kawempe—will host its own Sacco, serving graduates from the nine existing skilling centres: Mulago, Wandegeya, Kikoni, Kigoowa, Mutundwe, Wabigalo, Luzira, Subway, and Nakulabye.
Dr Faith Katana Mirembe, head of the Skilling the Girl and Boy Child Programme, announced the rollout during an engagement at the Mulago Skilling Centre.
She described the SACCOs as a “fresh Presidential directive” distinct from previous government financial schemes.
“These SACCOs are different from any previous financial arrangements and will directly serve the skilled youth,” Dr Katana said.
“We are closing the loop—training people, then equipping them with the financial tools to implement what they have learnt.”
To ensure responsible use of funds, trainees have already begun receiving instruction in financial literacy, Sacco management, and entrepreneurship.
The first sessions took place at Mulago, with other centres expected to follow.
The Presidential Skilling Centres offer hands-on training in trades such as tailoring, welding, carpentry, baking, and hairdressing.
According to Dr Katana, hundreds of young Ugandans have graduated from these programmes and many have launched their own businesses or secured employment.
One graduate from Wandegeya shared how she now earns a stable income through her baking business, while a welding trainee at Mutundwe said the training helped him land contracts with hardware suppliers.
President Museveni has long championed youth empowerment through practical skills and affordable financing.
The Sacco initiative, he believes, will bridge the gap between training and economic independence.
“This is what the President has always advocated—that we give our young people not just knowledge, but the power to act on it,” Dr Katana added.
The Sacco model is expected to be replicated in other urban areas as the programme evolves. Government officials say strong oversight, community involvement, and continuous capacity-building will be key to its sustainability.
Through this new framework, the government aims not only to train youth, but to support them in building livelihoods—providing not just skills, but also the confidence and capital to turn ambition into income.
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