THE FORTUNES OF YOUTHS IN UGANDA CAN CHANGE

On Ist July 2024 there was an article in the New Vision that was titled "plan better for the youthful population (page 20). The article further  points out that the preliminary results from the National Population and Housing Census 2024 indicate that Uganda is a country of young people with children below 17 years amounting to 50.5% ,while 22.7% are youths aged 18-30 years . 

It is a public secret that unemployment is one of the greatest challenge that any youth grapples with .In the past there was only one university but today there are over 20 universities which produce over 100,000 graduates annually amidst about 90,000 jobs being created per year. We have seen the effects of youth unemployment in Uganda including an increase in crime rate and dependency. The government is trying its best through skilling programs. The education system is being transformed so that it matches the dynamic needs of the job market. This is worsened by the fact that we now live in a globalized world where jobs can be competed for by people from other countries.

As a financial  literacy trainer who interacts with a number of youths especially university students and the working age, it is critical that we redirect the mindsets of the youths who form the majority of the population. From primary school up to university most students are wired to cram and pass exams. In fact those who get aggregate four appear in newspapers as "stars" and those that fail castigate themselves for having "failed" .Essentially Iam not trying to castigate those who pass exams .What Iam trying to address is the issue of how our education systems trains us to be job seekers right from our childhood, There are children who are beaten up for talking about money. On the contrary Indians teach their children about money at a young age. By the time they grow they are confident about money and business. 

I have met university graduates who are only wired to look for jobs and when they fail they see themselves as "failures". This mindset of job seeking has caused the unemployment challenge to surge. Education is supposed to make us critical thinkers and solve society's problems. Unfortunately many youths prefer the easy way out. That is why it is easy to find a university student diverting tuition money to gambling. Most youths are addicted to great rich schemes and many of them are heavily indebted due to gambling. 

It is very common to invite youths for capacity building workshops that are aimed at skilling them and giving them networks and they do not attend . In the end they end up with a dependent mindset. I once heard a group of youths who noted that they did not believe in stories of entrepreneurs who started with limited capital . This shows that most youths want to start big yet we all know that starting big is a myth. We have seen Indians who start with very little capital and in a few years they have large companies. I believe we can borrow a leaf from their practices.


HOW TO CHANGE THE FORTUNES OF UGANDA'S YOUTHS.

1.Mentorship and coaching

2.Establishment of incubation centers

3.Mindset change programs

4.Establishment of community libraries

5. Training youths in entrepreneurship

6. Recognizing outstanding youth entrepreneurs

7.Providing incentives for young investors such as tax holidays

8. Reforming Uganda's education system

9. Motivating youths to start business early.

10.Establishment of organized groups such as investment clubs and cooperatives


It is true that youth unemployment is real in Uganda. But this situation can be altered. The biggest resource that any country has is its people. The question to development stakeholders is , how can the fortunes of Uganda's youths be changed? 


Phillip Kiryowa

Finance and Leadership Coach

+256752615916

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