Report from BHW Uganda Partnership Facilitators Following Visits in February and June

This report is based on meetings with the vocational training students in February 2015, extensive discussions with Thomas both in February and again when we were there in June, and our overall observations.

Thomas also provided full details of each student, their records and photos for both the 2014 and 2015 years.

Recent Events

Training Grants

Thomas and Joyce are requiring the students to commit in writing when they apply, to repay 50% of the grant money once they have started work, or commenced employment. I sighted and have a copy of the application form which clearly specifies this. There are reasons why this may be somewhat difficult to enforce or follow up on but it was gratifying to see that they have taken on board our request for this with a hope that the programme will ultimately become self-sustaining or at least that some of the funding will come back in over time and be recycled. 

While I was sitting in The Source cafe with Thomas he had a phone call from a student (James Kisanga) who did not want to make this commitment at the outset. Thomas made it clear that if he did not commit to it then he would not get the funding and not be able to start the course. Joyce was not present during this conversation but that evening when I was with both of them, Thomas told her about the conversation. Joyce added that James was getting employment digging and that he was a reliable young man. She was surprised that he was not happy to commit to the repayments once he had obtained employment. James was scheduled to start training as an electrical installer (electrician I presume) that week, and Joyce spoke positively about him. 

Students

Last year there were 10 vocational training students;
1) Emmanuel Taban - Accounting (currently temporarily employed)
2) Christopher Guma - Cosmetology (now running a beauty salon in South Sudan)
3) Stella Amuge - Cosmetology (currently doing her internship)
4) Eva Irene Kajo - Cosmetology (currently employed in the field)
5) Jacinta Agudo - IT, computer and secretarial skills (currently employed and doing her internship)
6) Brian Pai - Accountancy (temporarily employed with Escom, a Uganda electricity firm)
7) Chemusto Sisco - Tailoring and fashion (currently finishing her internship)
8) Simon Byaruhanga - Motor mechanic (currently looking for work)
9) Joyce Keji - Hairdressing (has started a salon business)
10) Jesica Kojo - Hairdressing (currently self-employed and runs her business from home)

This year there are 10 new students from within or around Njeru;
1) Geoffrey Ekenyu - Information Technology
2) Andrew Banja - Motor vehicle mechanics
3) Beatrice Woleya - Tailoring
4) Patrick Ogwech - Graphics/media studies
5) Edna Yobu - Accounting
6) Bariba Scovia - Accounting/Finance
7) Tom Gamusi - Electrical Installation 
8) James Kisanga - Electrical Installation 
9) Rachael Basirika - Catering
10) Brian Pai - Graphics and Video Editing 

Personal Stories

Christopher Guma (2014) - Cosmetology
Chris is an elder in Life Gospel Church. He is 31 and has previously assisted in a church plant in Nebbi. He has done very well in his training. When he finishes his one year course at the end of February he is wanting to take a micro-loan through the loan programme and set up a unisex salon in Njeru market. He is clear that the demand is there and is high. He is wanting to set up something that will give him income and which he can turn over to someone else to assist him when he relocates to South Sudan where he intends to assist in the growth of the fellowship there. He sees his role as a church planter in some form but also recognises that he needs to be able to support himself and have his own income. He seems well motivated.

Thomas told me that he had come back to Jinja after his time in Nebbi church planting had not been altogether successful. However Thomas has faith in him and I could see that he has real potential and has done well in his studies. He is undoubtedly older than the other students but would seem to have some real potential and calling on his life.

Jacinta Agudo (2014)
Jacinta is 19 and completed her IT studies in February. This was a one year, basic introductory computing and secretarial course. She scored well in her studies, 76% being the highest score mid-term. They are still waiting for the last results though. She learnt communication skills, IT and business skills, some Kis-Swahili and in February was about to go on her practicum for three months. She would like to establish her own business word processing and printing and also to ultimately teach computing skills.

June update - Jacinta has obtained employment after her internship and is working part time now.

Eva Irene Kajo (2014)
Eva is 20. Thomas explained to me that he and Joyce choose the students when they see that they are vulnerable. For students like Eva and Jacinta the vulnerability is prostitution or early marriage. Eva is doing her internship now and is working in a salon in Mpumundde which is a town outside Jinja. She says that the trainers are supportive and let the students do what they are good at and help them with difficult clients or step in where needed. Eva would not have been able to study without the support of the training programme. She is one of five children and lives with her mother. They are a very poor family. Her scores have averaged 80%. 

June update - Eva is continuing to do well and is working in the salon. They also want her as a tutor. She is connected into the church, as is Jacinta referred to above.

Rachael Basirika (2015)
Rachael is 19. She is a lively and dedicated Christian and lives in Kamuli with her mum and siblings. She clearly loved her mum. Her dad abandoned the family 10 years ago but she described her mum as always being supportive and encouraging. She is doing a catering course and was very clearly able to articulate where she wants to go with it. She wants to first learn to be good at what she does by working in a hotel and learning management and how hotels run, then do catering and have her own business, and finally she wants to become a big chef (her words). I liked her energy and clear sense of excitement. She is staying with Thomas and Joyce while she trains.

Comments

After meeting with the four students I formed a couple of conclusions.

These students are different from students whom I have previously met who have been sponsored or supported to do academic studies. The difference is that all of these students have been able to present a confident and reasonably clear view of where they wanted to go after their studies. They recognised that it was up to them to make it work and they were focused on self employment or starting their own business once they had 'done their time.' This was a very noticeable difference.

I have to congratulate Thomas and Joyce. I think that they have chosen these candidates well. They are selecting them, and also making sure that the candidates are choosing courses where work will be available. In addition, it seems as if many of the 2014 students have been able to successfully translate their training into employment, which is encouraging.

Thomas is positive about the training and sees the vocational training as part of his vision for local development. We are aware that Joyce is in some ways the driving force of the vocational training but Thomas has certainly invested well in the people and we strongly support the continuation of the programme.