Learn to Earn! Trades training in Gulu, Uganda

PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT JANUARY - MARCH 2022

NAME OF IMPLEMENTING ORGANISATION: FAMILY HARVEST FOUNDATION

PROJECT TITLE: LEARN TO EARN! TRADES TRAINING IN GULU, UGANDA

PERIOD OF REPORT: JAN - MAR 2022

NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS OF PROJECT LEADERS:

1. FRANCIS OYAT OTOO;

email: familyharvestfoundation@gmail.com

2. ANNE MCKEE

email: anne.bt.mc@icloud.com

 DATE OF SUBMISSION: 2022/03/23

 Photo of one of the hairdresser trainee

 Part 1: GENERAL INFORMATION

Executive summary

As the new normal came in after Covid 19 troubled the world economy for two years cuts across all sectors, with education sector being among those worse hit, our vocational training school experienced and experimented approaches to the new way of life. Our target to train 90 youth in 2 years 2019 - 2020, was shattered due to the pandemic as lockdown followed lockdown by the government of Uganda and others. The youth, idleness, gambling rate, prostitution or formation of organized groups of street gangs on the good side of the pandemic lowered down but with pain on the side of income to feed families and still being felt by limited fund to pay students to get back to schools.

We operated for short times in 2020 as well as in 2021 though from August 2021 we introduced a workshop-based approach that allowed us train 18 youth the skills of their interest until finally the lockdown were lifted and we resumed training on 03 January 2022. We have not reached our target to train 90 youth in 2 years 2019 - 2020, but now in progress to achieve the number in our project document. The lockdown instituted by the government of Uganda had saved the situation  for the formation of organized groups of street gangs,  group of idlers, gamblers and prostitution but brought in a lot of resource constraints as the pandemic ravaged families that made it difficult to raise food and money to sustain their homes. 48 youth have been enrolled but only 22 reported at school with 18 ready to sit for the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) examination on 24 - 25 March 2022.

Six of our current trainees’ parents paid half of their tuition fees while 4 dropped out because they could not pay fees. We got two donations made through GlobalGiving Foundation platform making a gross amount of USD192.74 for this project while for our micro projects all receipts and disbursements were reported accordingly. The expenses made on this project in this period was USD399.60.

Thirteen trainees (females) who were enrolled studied for one month and have not reported back to complete studies as they were engaged in early marriages while 2 boys were already busy working with private entrepreneurs in their career as builders though they had not completed the building and concrete practice (BCP) course.

1.1: Progress on Results

1.1.2 Progress on Activities

Project Specific Objective 1: To provide vocational skills to 90 youth from Gulu district

Activity area: 1. Education and Entrepreneurship

1.  Education and Entrepreneurship

                        3. Education and life skills

activities: 1. Conducting training in hairdressing, tailoring, construction, motorcycle repair, Electrical installation and welding.

                  2. Visiting community Focal persons 

                  3. Invite partners for health talk

Outputs: six courses taught

indicators: Number of youth enrolled: 90; Hairdressing; Tailoring; Construction; Electrical installation; Welding, driving and motorcycle repair:

target: Hairdressing - 10; Tailoring - 10; Construction - 10; Electrical installation - 5; Welding - 5; and 5 motorcycle repair - 

actual: 08 Hairdressing; 18 Tailoring; 09 Construction; 0 Electrical installation; 0 Welding ; 0 driving and 7 motorcycle repair trainee enrolled and are attending lessons with 32 females and 16 males.

Explanations: 18 trainees out of 48 who had enrolled were at school are due to sit examination this month with 31 still to continue though some are unable to make payment of the fees..

Project Specific Objective 2: To provide educational scholarship for skills training to 90 youth

Activity: Education and training

Activities: Trainees selected to benefit from the youth project (partial scholarship)

Outputs: 6 trainees are granted partial scholarship in different skills

indicators: Number of trainees selected

target: 90

actual: 06

Explanations: 05 trainees benefitted from the partial scholarship

Project Specific Objective 3: To procure tools & equipment, and materials for students training

Activity: Education and training

Activities: Tools, equipment and training kits

Outputs: tools and equipment from Micro project used to effectively conduct training

indicators: 1.Number of tools & equipment from the assorted items received from TWAM

                    2. Number of materials bought from the assorted items delivered

target: Tools, equipment and Clothing materials bought: 50 pieces of Kitenge local fabrics and tools and equipment delivered.

actuals: 1. 40 pieces of 6 yards Kitenge local fabrics materials, 1 carton of threads bought, 15 pieces fabrics received from TWAM through our micro project No:50019 were used, 22 pieces of wooden stools were bought. Assorted items for hairdressing were bought and utilized.

2. The six electric and the 1 manual sewing machine from the micro-project ID No: 50019 are being used to train the youth, making 17 tailoring students attend lesson at ago if electricity were available.

Explanations: 5 more new manual sewing machine would provide a better opportunity for 5 more trainee to attend lesson.

Project Specific Objective 4: To pay Tutor’s allowances

Activity: Education and training

Activities: Tutor’s teaching allowance for 5 tutors at school

Outputs: All the 5 tutors mentioned are paid their monthly stipend for the 3 months.

Indicators: Months covered

target: 3

actual: 3

Explanation: January, February and March 2022 allowances to five tutors were paid in record time.

1.2: Progress towards Objectives

1.2.1 Objective 1: To provide skills training to 90 youth with at least 60% females, in different skills trade mentioned with 13 females and 7 males absorbed at the training institutions that reopens on 02nd May 2022. The number of those interested is increasing every day and hopefully we shall reach 90 in 2 years.

1.2.2 Objective 2: To provide partial educational scholarships to 90 youth in five skills: 06 trainees will be granted.

We received six donations during this period of reporting with a gross amount of USD192.74 from two monthly donors. No new donor appeared on the list.

1.2.3 Objective 3: To procure tools & equipment, and materials for students training.    We made some procurement as there was need to meet our planned actions during and post covid-19 time. We procured items for the hair dressers, tailoring, motorcycle mechanic and construction.

1.3:0 Project continuations

1.3. 1 The influx of new entrance during the post Covid 19 is yet difficult to express though the existing trainees provide a good chance as they have kept in touch with the Principal Tutor's office of the institution. CARE International Uganda – Gulu office have also maintained their position to support our operations in 2022 by sponsoring youth in their groups in Bardege-Layibi Division being one of their project site to join us.

1.3.2 Main activities planned for April, May and June 2022

Project specific Objective 1: To provide vocational skills to 90 youth from Gulu district.

Activity Education and Entrepreneurship

Activities: Training for term 2, conduct monitoring of activities, register for examinations, number of announcement and community visits.

Outputs: Number of those enrolled - 48; Monitoring of activities: 3; Register for examinations: 15; Number of announcements and community visits: 02; Number of adverts made: 26

Project Specific Objective 2: To provide educational scholarship for skills training to 90 youth.

Activity: provide vocational skills training

Activities: Maintain 06 trainees on partial scholarship beneficiaries and make payment for them.

Outputs: Number of beneficiaries identified and number of youth receiving the partial scholarship: 06.

Project Specific Objective 3: To procure tools & equipment, and materials for students training.

Activity: Education and training

Activities: Procurement of tools, equipment and materials acquired

Outputs: Number of tools, equipment and materials acquired. 0 megaphone, 50 material, assorted food items and cleaning items to buy.

Project Specific Objective 4: To pay Tutor’s allowances for the 3 months

Activity: Education and training

Activities: Pay allowances to staff: 

Outputs: Number of staff 5; plan to pay for (3 months - April, May and Jun 2022).

Part 2: OTHER INFORMATION

2.1: Participation

a. We expect to enroll 50 youth  in term two 2022 as 18 youth graduates after completing examination on 22/03/24 - 25 of this month and also 10 new trainees to be brought by CARE international. We have submitted third and fourth Micro project for supporting our tailoring department covering materials and tutors allowances.      

2.3: Gender Equity

a. Gender issues remain a paramount concept in every aspect of our project and shall remain at 60:40. We also apply the international code of conduct on Child abuse, women's rights, gender equality among others.

2.4: Child Centeredness and Rights Based Approaches

a. As we have resumed, we take into consideration the approach and use some of the literatures on GGF and other international agencies to upgrade our approaches.

2.5: Challenges, Lessons Learnt and dissemination

a. Successful and productive partnership continues to exist between GGF, TWAM, CARE International, The Hunger Project / The Movement for Community Led-Development and FHF, Nwoya District Local Government, Gulu District Local Government and Gulu City Local Government.

b. We have continued to learn a lot of information from GGF during several webinars and guides that are making us progress well on the GG Reward.

c.  CARE International have supported 14 youth among those due to sit for examination based on their interest to sponsor trainees in a five years' project being supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation.

d. Tools with a Mission (TWAM) UK have confirmed receiving funds, shipped the equipment though the welding machine on the list have not been received yet. 

2.6: Emerging Advocacy Issues:

a. We are a liberal organisation and are free to join at will any advocacy issues.

2.7: Organizational Changes:                                             

a. This ’’Learn to Earn! Trades training in Gulu, Uganda project’’ continues to shine among the youth in the project site and will continue to be.

b. The Board of Trustees has remained the same, while a new person was enlisted to the Board of Directors, new Principal Tutor recruited, 1 new staff recruited and management structures continued as normal. A planned Board of Trustees and Board of Directors meeting is schedule for 2022/04/05 at a convenient venue to allow all attend on a virtual and physical basis.

c. Our website hosting and subscription plan remain active as we are able to pay for it timely with support from The Hunger Project Uganda/Movement for Community Led-Development.

d. Facebook and twitter publicity became active with a foreign supporter due to GGF name on FHF though facebook is not fun in Uganda.

e. Staffs allowances were paid up to date that is end of February 2022 and even March shall be cleared in time.

2.8: Other Comments:

Objective partnership with GGF, CARE International, Tools with a Mission (TWAM) and The Hunger Project /The Movement for Community Led-Development is adding value to position us into a self-sustainable status.

• FHF Finance Report January - March 2022 (XLSX)