Greetings!

It is with great Pleasure that I welcome you to this April issue of the UPCLOSE!

At Rotary Vijana Poa, we are more than delighted to share with you what the team has been working on and to let you know the great projects being executed.

As our goal is to see “Every youth working”, many clubs that partnered with Rotary Vijana Poa in the Global Grant have with no doubt put this vision into action. Through the Global Grant, clubs have put up projects that have literally raised the youths from knowing nothing to learning a skill that can help them earn a living as you will see some of the projects in this issue.

Rotary Vijana Poa is not only stopping on this Global Grant but will be having it every year and so many clubs will continue getting support to have such projects run in their communities.

Its our responsibility as leaders to show the youths these opportunities. To guide them until they are able to stand on their way. That way we will be able to reduce the unemployment gap and the high crime rate among the youths. MEBRA LWABAAYI

VICE CHAIR ROTARY VIJANA POA- PAG

Rotary builds confidence and Competence of 120 vulnerable women and youths through the Rotary Mbale Vijana Poa skilling project at Covenant Bible Institute.

An amazing project built on a community economic development model based on peer led skilling where instructors from low socioeconomic backgrounds impart skills amongst women and youth was funded through a Rotary Foundation Global Grant #2122070.

A partnership between Rotary Club of Mbale District 9213 and Rotary Club of La Jolla District 5340 aimed at providing technology and employment education to the youth population in Mbale, Uganda, to enable and advance economic empowerment. The project commenced in 2022 and involved the establishment of a public technology hub called “Rotary Vijana Poa Mbale Technology Hub” at the Covenant Bible Institute of Theology Mbale, Uganda. The hub provides free ICT computer training classes and a Women’s Empowerment Program, which includes classes on women’s rights, gender-based violence, reproductive health, and entrepreneurship skills (ICT, Tailoring, Hand Craft, and Hairdressing) to the less privileged youth aged 18-35 years, with the purpose of fighting unemployment among the youth of Mbale City.

The project has since its inauguration passed out 120 students graduating from different fields including ICT, Tailoring, Hand Craft, and Hairdressing. The Graduation Ceremony took place on Friday, 17th March 2023, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, under the theme “Harnessing Youth Entrepreneurship through Skilling.” The event featured several speakers, including PAG Sydney Nsubuga the primary contact person, who expressed confidence that the graduates with the skills obtained through training and the mindset change would build a new breed of the world’s leaders through entrepreneurship and women empowerment. The program focuses on one of the seven Rotary Areas of Focus, economic and community development, with the main objective of providing young people with the necessary skills to transform their communities through entrepreneurship and mindset change to enable younger persons to identify and seize opportunities in their communities.

This program beneficiaries are younger persons from all walks of life, including single mothers and youth. The organizers expressed confidence that the attendees could use the skills and knowledge acquired through the program to promote Rotary and the program, enabling more individuals to acquire these skills and benefit from them. The instructors, the Byoosi team, and the Rotary were also acknowledged for their contributions to the program.

The graduates expressed joy and gratitude towards the organizers for the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge. They are poised to establish an alumni association to strengthen their social security through a savings scheme and revolving fund. “This is the best thing that has occurred to me in my life, and I am seeing myself changing my family through putting the acquired skills to use. Long live Rotary International.” Said one of the beneficiaries of the training program.

We congratulate the 120 graduates on their achievement and encourage them to continue to create opportunities for themselves and others in their community. We wish the new 355 entrants goodluck in their journey to transformation. Our goal is delivering “Cool Youth” (Vijana Poa) and ensuring “every youth working.”