By GNNA Reporter
Alebtong
COMESA in partnership with Save the Children, Horn of Africa Youth Network, and National Youth Council, has established a One-Stop Youth center in Alebtong district.
The center worth shs265m was constructed in Apala Town Council to equip the youths with life skills and provide them with a tangible space for active engagement in peace-building efforts and employment opportunities.
An estimated 34.8% of Uganda’s population are youths grappling with insecurity, inequality, and unemployment.
The center, an outcome of the 2021 Nairobi Inter-Ministerial Conference that recommended that the regional bloc and its partners establish centers, will provide a safe space for youths to interact on issues of governance, peace, and security.
The center has a library stocked with 3,000 books, and 10 desktop computers in the computer laboratory.
Youth expected to benefit
Ronnie Geoffrey Ayang, a male youth district councilor for Alebtong, said many youths in the region did not get formal education due to the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) Insurgency that confined them into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
“We have several youths who dropped out of school while still in primary while others only managed to either stop in senior four and six. If they are trained in computer literacy, they can create jobs for themselves,’’ Ayang said.
The LRA war in the north led to the displacement of an estimated 1.5 million people and thousands of deaths, rape of women and girls and use of child soldiers for over 20 years.
Winnie Yakisa, a youth resident of Apala Town Council said the center will provide mentorship for youths and engagement in peace-building.
“What I know is that people are jobless, mostly the youth, some have papers but no work to do. Now that we have the youth center here, the majority of the youth will be committed to innovations thus reducing crimes like theft, robbery, and killing,” Yakisa said.
She also noted the center will foster inclusivity and collaboration by establishing a hub for diverse youth backgrounds to unite and work towards common goals.
“I don’t know how to use a computer very well but now that the center is here, I will learn and get the full skill of using the computer. It will also help us to advertise our center so that all youths from all regions will utilize it for their benefit,” she added.
Sam Ogwal, secretary of finance Uganda National Youth Council and a resident of Abia Sub-county in Alebtong District said, the hub has opened a new era of youth empowerment, promising a brighter, more harmonious future for Uganda.
What leaders from COMESA say
Dr. Oita Etyang, an analyst in charge of governance, peace, and security at COMESA said the center will help the young people in Alebtong research and gain more knowledge.
Dr. Atyang added that there were discussions to build another center in Kenya or Djibouti where the youths can hold meetings and use it as a drama theatre.
He said the One-stop center will serve Ugandans and youths from other regions in East Africa.
Daniel Momanyi, a technician at the One- stop center, said the center now has desktops with the latest processor and internet to allow the youths to work for a long time.
“Such systems will enable them to do courses online, develop applications, and do graphic designs. I believe that the youths here are up to task because they have been able to interview a few of them and they are literate and competent,” Momanyi said.
Not bad