Over the years, President Museveni has introduced initiatives that tackle the ideology of socio-economic transformation, as stipulated in the NRM Manifesto.

Programs like Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation, PDM, YLP, Poverty Alleviation, the 4-acre Model, and Skilling the Boy and Girl Child, among others, are initiatives by President Museveni to integrate Ugandans into the money economy.

I recently had a chance to visit the Mengo Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub, an institution that is fulfilling the Skilling the Boy and Girl Child presidential initiative.

One may ask, what is the essence of this particular initiative? The Skilling the Boy and Girl Child initiative gears towards equipping the underprivileged youth with skills that will help them shift into the money economy.

Seated on 12 acres of land, Kayunga Presidential Industrial Hub has one of the cleanest and most organized facilities, ranging from the different training wings to the dining hall, staff quarters, sick bay, dormitories for both girls and boys, and the administration block. It is a sight for sore eyes.

While speaking to the Hub Manager, Ahmed Zinda Musoke, he revealed that the school offers training in seven disciplines, including hairdressing and makeup, welding and metal fabrication, shoe making, carpentry and joinery, bakery, tailoring and designing, and construction.

According to Musoke, the school enrolls students twice a year for six months at no cost.

“All a student has to come with are their personal basic needs. Everything else is provided. The mattress, beddings, food, and health care are available to students,” Musoke said.

He added that the institution admits students from the 11 districts of Kayunga, Wakiso, Mukono, Mpigi, Nakasongola, Luwero, Buikwe, Buvuma, Gomba, Butambala, and Nakaseke because they teach in the local language for purposes of understanding.

According to Musoke, 240 students (120 boys and girls respectively), are yet to be enrolled in the second phase of this year, and they will be passed out with a Uganda Vocational Qualifications Level One Certificate, which is equivalent to the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE).

“Once the students are admitted, they choose a discipline of their choice and be trained by two instructors allocated to them. Once they pass the examinations, they are awarded a certificate that equates to a Senior Four certificate,” he said.

“Some of the people who applied for the UPDF enrollment used the Level One certificate attained from various Zonal hubs,” he added.

Musoke called upon the youth to enroll in the zonal hubs and acquire hands-on skills that, if used appropriately, are a source of income, which will alleviate poverty.

The government established 19 hubs in Greater Mbarara, Greater Masaka, Kayunga, Kampala, Kyenjojo, Kasese, Ntoroko, Adjumani, Gulu, Lira, Mbale, Kabale, and Jinja districts, with the aim of equipping over 12,000 youths every year.