Uganda

Please provide us with your views on the state of youth (un)employment in your country, and how it affects your country's state of peace?

Currently, the level of unemployment among the youth in Uganda is on the rise as many youth reside in the city centers where jobs are limited. According to the International Labor Organization, Uganda’s unemployment levels have gone from 1.9% in 2005/2006 to 5.1% in 2012. In fact, there is a 12% rate of unemployment amongst the urban youth as compared to the 3% amongst the rural youth. This has affected Uganda’s state of peace as many youth have resorted to drug dealing, robbery and gambling which has undesirable effects. More still, the levels of destructive demonstrations has increased as a result of the government failing come through enough for the youth regarding unemployment. These demonstrations have disturbed the peace of the country leading to deaths and political insecurity. We can relate this to the current political situation in Uganda which has not only worried foreigners but nationals as well.

How does your work and/or activism promote youth employment and/or sustainable peace?

I brought together 5 young people with similar agribusiness interests and provided them with skills in that particular interest area and supported them with a small interest micro loan. This is one way I am promoting employment among the youth in Uganda. Also, within my programs I have incorporated peace talks and think tanks which do not only involve the youth alone but the rest of the community members as well. These think tanks have brought together youth and community members from different backgrounds who would not have mixed together otherwise. There is still tribalism in Uganda and bringing these people in these meetings has helped eradicate the differences in tribe, education backgrounds and other social-economic differences in the communities I serve. We also do a community outreach once in a month to help sensitize communities on how to work together and develop each other as a group/cluster.