Africa-Press – Uganda. Phillips Sekago’s scars are a testament to a childhood spent in one of Kabalagala’s toughest places—Muyindi Zone. The tough neighbourhood in suburban Kampala is one of many in a place that never sleeps that Rotarians have focused their attention.
It all started in 2015 when Mr Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa—then wearing the hat of governor of Rotary District 9211—started the Vijana Poa Youth Skilling project. He envisaged changing the livelihoods of the youth like Mr Sekago, 27, who has never attended school.
Mr Kenneth Mugisha, another past governor of Rotary District 9211, says the slum areas of Kabalagala, Namuwongo and Nsambya were scenes of chaos and confusion from the 1970s through to 1990s. Places like Kikubamutwe Zone in Kabalagala were the very embodiment of a red-light district. Ghetto youth, who were forced into prostitution, found themselves caught in the crosshairs of the HIV/Aids pandemic.
Today, thanks to the Vijana Poa Youth Skilling project, fortunes of ghetto youth from Rotary District 9211’s backwaters are changing.
Mr Sekago, who harbours hopes of becoming a fashion designer, was last month handed one possible tool of trade—a sewing machine.
Cynthia Nantaba, whose studies at the Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery stalled when she got pregnant, has found a new lease of life, thanks to the Vijana Poa Youth Skilling project.
The 23-year-old single mother now studies tailoring and entrepreneurship. Ms Nantaba is hoping to make a living out of tailoring, and Mr Mugisha believes her dream is neither unrealistic nor self-deluding fantasy.
“The Far East developed from tailors. It is key that we give our youth the skills and we capture the [East African Community] market,” he said at last month’s graduation ceremony of 15 former sex workers and ghetto youth from Kikubamutwe zone.
Ms Rita Namakiika, the president of the Rotary Club of Muyenga Tank Hill, told Saturday Monitor that the Muyenga Tank Hill Kikubamutwe Youth Skilling Project has witnessed profound changes since its humble beginnings.
It operates out of a rented house, and started with only 10 sewing machines that trainers used to put learners through their paces.
Mr Phillip Ssekimpi Kakembo, the chairperson of Uganda Tailors Association, said the Far East countries such as Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand have shown how tailoring can unlock a lot of opportunities.
“Among tailors, we have a saying that nobody can walk naked. Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand are where they are today because of tailors. This is an enterprise anyone can join to start a business,” he said.
Mr Tappy Marvis Mukoda, a fashion designer who was hired to train the cohort that graduated last month, said half of them—15—dropped out along the way during the six-week course.
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