The Amaani Rwenzori youth development center in Fort Portal offers a second chance to school drop-outs or to those were unable to pay school fees. Here, 19 vulnerable women and girls follow pottery classes thanks to the Skills Development Fund (SDF) of BTC’s Support to Skilling Uganda project. 24-year old Judith Kirungi is supporting the bead-making classes. “I learned how to make bowls, plates and vases. But my favorite is making beads. I am now becoming a specialist.” 

Close to completing a one-year pottery course, Judith was asked to pass her skills on to future trainees. “I like teaching because the trainees listen well. Sometimes there is a language barrier as some English words don’t translate well in the local language. But we try to make it work.” 

At Amaani Rwenzori, the SDF finances a pilot training which  teaches women clay bead-making from their homes. These women cannot leave their houses for long periods of time for various reasons: from working in the field to caring for sick parents or small children. As soon as the women complete the training, they receive all necessary materials to make raw clay beads from their homes. Amaani Rwenzori then collects the beads for baking and glazing, and markets them. The women share in the profits if the beads are of good quality. If successful, the pilot will extend to other pottery products.

Through a cost-sharing mechanism, the Skills Development Fund additionally pays 100% of the center’s life skills trainings and 27% of vocational trainings for 50 out of 65 trainees. Hamilton Kalyegira, a life skills trainer at Amaani Rwenzori, values the program “It helps to develop the student’s personality.” Courses include exercises on critical thinking, problem-solving and social interaction. “Some students would stare at the floor and talk quietly. Now they are speaking out well.” During the life skills courses trainees also focus on family planning, healthy nutrition and first aid.

According to Benjamin Kennedy, the Director of Amaani Rwenzori “What makes the SDF-scheme unique is the collaboration with the Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA), our co-applicant for the Fund. It allows us to partner with industry experts from 12 different sectors.”  

The Skills Development Fund in Albertine-Rwenzori aims at sustainably improving the quality of technical and vocational trainings through public-private partnerships, in order to enhance the youth’s employability.