Senior presidential advisor on special duties Odrek Rwabwogo has lauded Makerere University College of Education for empowering the ghetto youth. “Makerere is known as an ivory tower where people come to study for degrees and PhDs, but this is a different kind of training that has gone on for 13 weeks, people who come from the ghetto do not know that ghetto is a good word, where mechanics and things were done three to four hundred years ago,” he said. “Picking people from the ghetto and spend time with them at Makerere where they learn enterprises, budgeting, balance sheets, research, economy and how to start their own business, I’m so excited and thank Makerere for allowing room for people who would never think of being at Makerere. These would be politicians throwing stones in ghettos but they have learnt how to make a living,” he added. Rwabwogo was speaking at a ceremony to mark the end of the training of ghetto youth at Makerere University on Tuesday.
Some of the ghetto youths who graduated at Makerere University. A total of 65 ghetto youths completed training in various skills from Makerere under the Makerere University Research and Innovation Programme. The students have been studying under the Kampala Ghetto Youth Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion (KGYTEP) which is fully sponsored by the Government. Do not ask for money Rwabwogo, who also gave out a motorcycle to Swalik Balyejusa to support him in the movement of the products, advised the ghetto youth not to front or ask for money from the President, but always ask for wisdom, knowledge, and skill plus the equipment, a hook and a boat to fish for themselves. “Money is the cheapest thing anybody can ask from anyone. So many people have asked for money from President Yoweri Museveni, but it does not produce the necessary results and I think they don’t start with doing what I have seen here,” he said. When people learn what to do, it is very easy to put in the resources they get. Strengthen what you have learnt, put it into practice and work as a group,” Rwabwogo added. KGYTEP principal Investigator at Makerere University Prof. Badiru Musisi said they have taught about 10 youths in each area and empowered them with skills for self-empowerment in different ghettos like Bwaise Nakulabye, Kisenyi. He said the skills given to the youth help them start up their income-generating activities and also help them manage to enhance sustainability. KGYTEP is being co-ordinated by Makerere University’s College of Education and External Studies. According to Dr. Musisi, the training takes 12 weeks after which the trainees are grouped and given capital and asked to start a business. This business is monitored by the trainers in an effort to offer guidance where need be including trying to do mindset change by impressing it upon the youth that self-employment is a viable option. “When sending children to school, we think about them being job seekers and not creators. This needs to change,” Musisi said.
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