Uganda’s demography is steadily rising, currently estimated at 46% million. This poses a myriad of challenges, including high poverty rates marked by disproportionate regional inequality. While Uganda’s poverty level stands at 42%, West Nile has an extremely high level (71%). These poverty levels disproportionately affect youth, especially young women, with more than 55% living in multi-dimensional poverty. Uganda’s educational sector faces many challenges, including high school dropout rates (87%) primary, 90% secondary, only 6% end in tertiary education especially in low-income families and among young women and youth with disabilities and living with HIV/AIDS. With limited education, skills, voice and opportunities, and labor supply outpacing demand. Many youths (98%) have been inadvertently responding to the job deficit through self-employment in micro enterprises. Most (91%) of these enterprises are informal in agriculture, which is grossly affected by climate change. The services sector requires routine attention to customer experience, and women own 80% of these enterprises. Growth opportunities and productivity for women enterprises project and Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program have acknowledged the need to support youth and women economic empowerment. AFARD with funding from the European Union, the Austrian Development Cooperation and DKA Austria through horizont3000 will implement 30 months (Jan 2025- June 2027) Youth Economic and Citizenship Building (YECIB) project in Pakwach and Zombo Districts to empower youth to build sustainable enterprises and actively participate in Uganda’s policy and development processes.
The overall project goal is “To contribute to the promotion of youth empowerment and participation in policy and development processes in Pakwach and Zombo Districts of west Nile, Uganda. The project-specific objectives include.
- To empower 1,000 underemployed youth in vulnerable enterprises (UYiVE), especially female youth, to grow and build sustainable businesses.
- To strengthen the capacity of at least 4 youth-led organization (YLOs) to form a collective voice and advocate for policies that enable greater youth-led economic participation in development initiatives and,
- To improve youth capacity to participate and influence policy implementation at local government levels to ensure sectors which impact them most receive increased budget allocations and support.
The implementation of the YECIB project is planned to deliver on the following key areas;
- Enhanced vocational, financial and business management skills of 1,000 UYiVE (underemployed youth in vulnerable businesses), especially female youth, to grow their vulnerable own account enterprises into profitable and sustainable businesses.
- Strengthened institutional and advocacy capacity of 04 local YLOs to demand from their local governments for equitable, inclusive and accountable service delivery.
- An inclusive and responsive formulation and implementation of youth development policies in the West Nile sub-region through improved participation of YLOs and UYiVE.
YECIB project targets 1,300 direct beneficiaries (60% female) and 7,400 (60% females) indirect beneficiaries (60% females)
Project Budget: EUR 599,788
Donor: European Union