KCB Bank Uganda,GIZ vocationally skill 575 youth

In Summary
  • The Twekozese program under KCB Foundation seeks to create self-employment and establish enterprises among unskilled and semi-skilled youth in Uganda.
  • The programme focuses on growing youth micro-businesses in the informal sector and bring them to a place where they can employ at least five other young people with an aim of creating 250,000 jobs over five years.
L-R: Constant Othieno Mayende, KCB Uganda Board Chairman, Dr. Patrick Byakatonda, Director of the Directorate of Industrial Training, Caroline Wanjeri Kihara, Chief of Party, KCB Foundation – KCB Bank Group, James Macbeth GIZ Country Director, KCB Bank Uganda Managing Director, Edgar Byamah, and E4D Team Leader, Donald Agaba pose for a photo
Image: Courtesy

575 Youth have been awarded certificates in vocational skills courtesy of KCB Bank Uganda together with the German Development Cooperation.

Under the “Twekozese Programme”, the youth attended vocational training at Datamine, Lugogo and Ntinda Vocational training Institutes to obtain skills in plumbing, welding, masonry and electric installation.”

During the graduation ceremony, the KCB Bank Uganda Managing Director, Edgar Byamah,said that, the move was essential to transform the lives of many Ugandans.

“Listening to the testimonies of these graduands I am humbled by the kind of impact we have on you and but I urge all of you to extend this impact to your communities as we professionalise these vocations”,Byamah said.

Hundreds were passed out with GIT certificates as carpenters,plumbers,welders and masons of the Directorate of Industrial Training the level 1
Image: Edwin Muhumuza

He added, ‘today you are certified, the rest more or less will depend on how you deal and apply those skills.

The Twekozese program under the KCB Foundation seeks to create self-employment and establish enterprises among unskilled and semi-skilled youth in Uganda, with the aim of creating 250,000 jobs over five years.

The KCB-GIZ programme, 2021 saw both partners raise 6 billion towards the Employment and Skills for Development in Africa (E4D) to make the initiative a reality.

James Macbeth, the GIZ Country Director, expressed gratitude but noted that looking at Uganda,”we still have big challenges that need to be overcome. Let Uganda participate in the global world so that all young people have opportunities to participate in it.

Of the graduands,32 percent were female in a male dominated field while 5 percent were person that are differently abled.
Image: Edwin Muhumuza

GIZ has 74 programs in which it is supporting the Ugandan government in sustainable development,”  McBeth revealed, adding that in Germany, there is a reversing trend that not so many people go to university after secondary school but they would learn a trade, and those skills financially out match what the academics offer.

GIZ E4D Uganda team leader, Mr. Donald Agaba, noted that this partnership seeks to promote employment by improving the skillset of youth working in the construction sector, in addition to providing them with toolkits to start their own businesses while ensuring that the local workforce has demand-driven and up-to-date skills.

Dr. Patrick Byakatonda, Director of the Directorate of Industrial Training commended KCB Bank and GIZ for training the youth with hands-on skills and preparing them for the job market.

“The Government of Uganda will continue to support such initiatives because they will lead to the social-economic transformation of our country and I hope we can continue to have events such as these in the future, ” he added.