In Uganda and specifically in the Rwenzori region, a pervasive challenge confronts the youth, marked by high unemployment rates, limited economic opportunities, and barriers to entrepreneurship. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS, 2022) highlights the alarming national youth unemployment rates, restricting socio-economic mobility and hindering the overall development of the younger population. Concurrently, the World Bank’s findings (2021) reveal a dearth of comprehensive business management skills, particularly affecting aspiring entrepreneurs in both urban and rural areas. This deficiency in skills exacerbates the struggle for sustainable business ventures. Moreover, the lack of access to start-up capital, as underscored by the Fort Portal Regional Development Agency (2023), compounds the hurdles faced by young individuals aspiring to initiate and sustain businesses in the region. This intricate web of challenges demands urgent attention and collaborative efforts from governmental bodies, local communities, and stakeholders to formulate targeted interventions, fostering an environment conducive to youth empowerment, economic growth, and sustainable development in both Uganda and the Rwenzori region.
Rural Women Empowerment Network is implementing a project targeting youth. The project aims to empower young individuals (ages 15-35) through an inclusive strategy, prioritizing 90% women and 30% men, with a special focus on vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, teenage mothers, child-headed, and female-headed households.
Participants are selected based on their residency in refugee and host communities in the targeted sub-counties, as well as their demonstrated interest in gaining vocational, entrepreneurial, or technical skills to improve their livelihoods. The project is collaborating with local chairpersons, Village Health Teams (VHTs), and women representatives, leveraging their knowledge of community needs to identify and recommend participants who will benefit most from the support, ensuring a fair and transparent selection process that reflects the project’s commitment to social equity, gender balance, and inclusivity.