By Norah Owaraga | Managing Director and Mentor
Okello, a determined youth seeking betterment not only for himself but his community, dreams of establishing a welding workshop to tackle the steep youth unemployment rate in Uganda. 41% of Ugandan youth aged between 18 years and 30 years, 9.3 million of them living in Uganda, are not in school, are not receiving training and are not engaged in any productive activity; they are unemployed. This is according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.
Youth unemployment is the more catastrophic for a country such as Uganda that has the youngest population in the world – 78% of Uganda’s population is aged 30 years and below. It means that the majority of households in Uganda depend on youth, such as Okello, to earn incomes to pay for their costs of living and those of others depending on them. In Okello’s case, moreover, he has no choice, he is a double orphan, whose biological mother and father died while he was young. He has to be the provider.
The estimated monthly cost of living for a single Ugandan is Shs. 1,949,370 (US$ 539); excluding rent. On average, 41.5% of the cost of living in Uganda is spent on food. Having millions of unemployed youths in Uganda, such as Okello is, albeit him being a university graduate, indicates that millions of Ugandans are food insecure and are living a poor quality of life. Your donation can make a crucial difference for it would create an opportunity for Okello and his peers to earn sustainable income and improve their quality of life.
Welding is a lucrative source of income for those who can establish a welding workshop and become self-employed. This is Okello’s dream for which CPAR Uganda Ltd asks your help to turn into a reality. The donation you make will be used to buy and donate to Okello welding machines, equipment and start up materials for him to establish a welding workshop in a rural setting in Lango in Northern Uganda.
“During my welding apprenticeship, my trainer mentored me on how to calculate the cost of making metal doors, windows and safes and how much to sell each, in order to earn good profits. For example, the cost of making a standard metal door is Shs. 171,000 (US$ 47) and the cost of making a standard metal window is Shs. 142,000 (US$ 39). A standard metal door can be sold at Shs. 250,000 (US$ 69) and a standard metal window at Shs. 170,000 (US$ 47); giving me a profit of Shs. 79,000 (US$ 22) and Shs. 28,000 (US$ 8) from a door and a window, respectively.
It is feasible for a welder who owns a basic welding workshop in a rural setting in Uganda to make two standard doors and two standard widows in a day. Assuming, I was such a welder and I work 24 days a month, as I intend to do in my welding workshop, each day I successfully make and sell two standard doors and two standard windows, I can make a monthly profit of Shs. 3,792,000 (US$ 1,048) from making and selling doors and of Shs. 1,344,000 (US$ 371) from making and selling windows; a total monthly profit of Shs. 5,136,000 (US$ 1,419).
Yes, when as a welder I sell a finished door or window that I made, I am assured to make profit. And in addition, the interesting thing in doing this welding business is that when working on the windows or doors, I can as well get money from sharpening axes, knives, handheld hoes and welding motor bikes, among others,” Okello testified.
Monthly earnings of Shs. 5,136,000 (US$ 1,419) from a welding workshop would comfortably cover Okello’s monthly cost of living of Shs. 1,949,370 (US$ 539). Such earnings, in fact, can cover the cost of living for his small household of three people – guaranteeing them food security and a better quality of life.
Once he becomes a welding workshop owner, over a period of one year, Okello dreams of giving back by offering welding apprenticeships to 25 youths. Welding apprenticeships through which the benefiting youth will attain livelihood life skills and instantly begin earning as they apprentice.
On average, a welder in Uganda earns a monthly salary of Shs. 860,000 (US$ 224) - it ranges from about Shs. 396,000 (US$ 109) to Shs. 1,370,000 (US$ 378); including benefits, such as housing and transport. In the context of Uganda where 75% of the salaried workforce earn less than Shs. 1,240,000 (US$ 343) per month, a welder can be among top tier salary earners.
The time to act is now! Every second counts in our fight against youth unemployment. Donate today to help Okello set up his welding workshop and inspire change in his community. THANK YOU!
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