KAMPALA - In collaboration with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), YAYELO, a fishery agency is targeting about 7,000 women and youth between 28-35 years to empower them with employment opportunities.
Micheal Tumusiime, the marketing officer at YAYELO, said the three-year project will benefit youth from the districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Jinja. He made the revelation during the last day of the seventh edition of the Harvest Money 2023 expo, which started on February 10 and ended on February 12.
The three-day expo that ran with the theme, Farming as a Business, Post-Harvest Handling and Value Addition, attracted big and small exhibitors who were showcasing what they can offer to the public.
There were also experts in different fields including poultry, piggery, goats, bee-keeping, coffee growing and value addition, urban and fishing farming, who were training the participants on how they can treat agriculture as a business.
During the event, people benefited from the technologies on display and expert information provided by at least over 500 exhibitors.
With a startup capital of sh95,000, which shall be offered as a form of a loan, Tumusiime mentioned that the beneficiaries will be able to make a net revenue of sh385,000 and more.
In a bid to eradicate poverty among the youth, he mentioned that they shall be given fish to venture into the value chain of wealth creation.
“We have partnered with financial institutions ready to offer loans to any beneficiary who purchases fish. We are looking at how these young people can generate income and improve their quality of life,” he added.
Tumusiime said YAYELO will partner with Community Based Organisations (CBOs) that are well structured to registered vulnerable youth, who will access these loans.
While serving spicy fish to the expo goers at their stall on Sunday, Tumusiime said with 78% of the population below 30 years, there is need for all stakeholders to find possible ways to solve the unemployment burden that has become a biting issue.
The Uganda Bureau of Standards 2017 figures indicate that the unemployment rate standards in Uganda are at 9.2% nationally while youth unemployment stands at 13%.
While serving spicy fish to the expo goers at their stall on Sunday, Tumusiime said with 78% of the population below 30 years, there is need for all stakeholders to find possible ways to solve the unemployment burden that has become a biting issue.
The same report shows that 41% or 3.8 million youth are not in Employment Education Training (NEET).
That said, it is worrying to note that 70% of Uganda’s population are youth below the age of 30.
Source: New Vision