Learn to Earn! Trades training in Gulu, Uganda

Implementing Partner: Family Harvest Foundation
Project Title: Learn to Earn Trade School, Gulu, Uganda  

Background

The 2025 vocational skills training activities commenced smoothly continuing with the 27 youth trainees. Throughout the term, key activities included continuous training sessions for students, preparation and support for the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) examinations, and the institution’s Management Meeting to brief the staff.

The field project staff, together with the Community Volunteers, carried out 12 community advocacy visits with focus on children under 5 years’ malnutrition prevention in Lakalac and Kalang villages, Amar Parish, in KochGoma sub county, Nwoya District.

We also actively participated in 7 partnership and advocacy initiatives, including collaborations with the Movement for Community-Led Development, Gulu City Council – Community Development Department, Nwoya and Gulu District Local Governments.

Activities Undertaken

1. Little by Little Campaign (March 2025)

FHF participated in the GlobalGiving "Little by Little" campaign that took place in March 2025 where our staff and well wishers shared the campaign by email and whatsApp communications providing the link to the donations, to 25 prospective donors. We received donations for our training program that supported with partial scholarship to two female trainees.

2. Recruitment and Training of Trainees

We continued to deliver training to 27 female trainees that have completed their training, internship and are ready for DIT examination. The training courses that were offered included; Garment cutting and Tailoring, Hairdressing/Salon services, and Shoemaking. 22 of the training were financed through the Gulu University RETI Program the one of them could not complete the training due to pressing family issues, 2 from GlobalGiving Foundation, and 3 private sponsorships from parents or self-funding.

3. Support to Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) Examination

We have continued to build reputation and trustfrom other vocational skills training institutions, that have entrusted us with their students to register through FHF Centre number for DIT modular exams. A total of 16 students are set to sit for the upcoming May 2025 exams from another School but to since the school is not accredited they will sit from ourinstitution. Additionally, at FHF itself through the RETI project sponsored 21 students completed the training, 2 of the GlobalGiving trainees and 3 privately sponsored are also set for the DIT examinations. We have registered in all 39 youth to sit for the May 2025 examinations.

4. Annual Board Meeting

The annual board meeting of 2025 is being planned and will be held to evaluate the progress and development made from the strategic plan focused on organizational growth over the next two years.

5. Community Engagement

Our Community Volunter Advocates continued to implement activities in Nwoya District, specifically in Lakalac and Kalang villages in Kochgoma Subcounty. The focus during this reporting period was on child care and improved nutrition. Twelve community visits were conducted to support advocacy and awareness-raising efforts.

6. Partnerships and Networking

a. We maintained an active partnership with GlobalGiving.

b. Participated in partnership development meetings with Movement for Community Led-Development(MCLD) and Girls Not Brides Uganda.

c. Attended Grant Writing, and M&E trainings conducted by Movement for Community Led Development (MCLD) partners.

d. Kept uptodate with Nwoya, Gulu District and City contexts to be able to strategically deliver our work by renewing our certificates of operation.

Key Achievements

i). Successfully competed the 3 months training of 21 RETI program sponsored, 2 GlobalGiving partial sponsored youth and 03 privately sponsored trainees including internship level, and are awaiting to do DIT examinations.

ii). We have submitted Expression of Interest (EoI) to Gulu University for continuous partnership in providing artisan services under the RETI program and are awaiting feedback.

iii). Provided shoe making training to the 27 students as a bonus session, to support them have multiple skills for self-employment.

iv). Students were guided to form 2 Savings groups based on kind of trade (Tailoring and Hair dressing group), under which they will start saving money as soon as they start earning to improve their livelihood.

v). Three opportunities were granted for the trainees who shared their expereinces during discussions between our students and other two institutions for supportive learning. Feedback from our students quoted quoted verbatim; ‘’our school is well organized, and planned. Our management is giving us all that we expect and I am happy to be trained by Family Harvest Foundation, and imagine I am already getting customers and I plate their hair from home.’’ said Conselate, a student of FHF.

vi). In collaboration with Gulu University RETI project Team conducted post-training employment tracking to support future fundraising efforts. Only 8 out of the 27 are not enganged in doing private live changing skill related activity while 19 are either employed at the business unit where they were deployed for internship or earning some money from her residence as they serve those who come because they know they have been trained.

vii). Expanded visibility and influence through collaboration with other vocational institutions, resulting in increased trust and student enrollment.

viii). Strategic outcomes from the board meeting are expected to enhance program delivery and support more vulnerable youth and communities.

ix). Continued with community engagement coordination efforts on nutrition and savings. Training in Grant writing will improve our fundraising efforts to community engagement and vocational training for development.

Plans for Next Quarter

1. Continue to conduct post-training employment tracking to support future fundraising efforts.

2. Identify and initiate additional community-based projects in Nwoya District to scale up our advocacy and vocational programming.

3. Enroll more students for the skills training.

4. Introduce mushroom growing to community members as a training course at the institute.