Africa-Press – Uganda. The Executive Director of the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), Prof. Charles Kwesiga, has commissioned the Nakaseke Textile Skills Development and Production Centre in Nakaseke Town Council, aimed at equipping locals with practical sewing skills to combat the high unemployment rate in the district.
As part of the initiative, UIRI donated 20 high-quality sewing machines worth Shs 200 million. The centre has the capacity to train up to 20 learners per day, with each course lasting two months.
Over 80 locals are expected to graduate with hands-on textile skills, enabling them to start their own businesses.
Prof. Kwesiga said the project is designed to bridge the gap between training and production, noting that academic qualifications are not a strict requirement for enrolment.
“This facility is open even to school dropouts, as long as they have the will to learn and transform their communities,” he said.
He urged parents to encourage their children to make use of the centre and appealed to beneficiaries to handle the machines with care.
According to UIRI, the machines have the capacity to produce up to 6,000 shirts in just 24 hours.
The Deputy Secretary General of the NRM Secretariat, Rose Namayanja, whose Rose Namayanja Foundation partnered with UIRI to establish the centre, commended the institute for its role in addressing rural unemployment.
Namayanja noted that the project aligns perfectly with the government’s skills development agenda.
“This initiative will not only train locals but also allow those already in the textile business to upgrade their skills,” Namayanja said.
She added that the centre will be open for private use by community members at a small fee to cover electricity and maintenance costs.
The Nakaseke Textile Skills Development and Production Centre is expected to become a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and income generation in the district.
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