June 16, 2021 – Recently, the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) held a graduation ceremony for the second cohort of trainees that completed the vocational training courses we offer at our Community Learning Center in Moroto, located in Uganda’s Karamoja Sub-Region. With more than double the number of graduates compared to the first cohort, the size of this second group demonstrates that, in a region facing substantial challenges, local people – and youths in particular – have an appetite for learning new skills and exploring opportunities.
The Karamoja Sub-Region has one of Uganda’s lowest development indexes, making sustainable economic development an especially crucial issue there. As peacebuilding and development go hand-in-hand, WPDI offers free vocational training courses to members of the public at our Community Learning Center in the sub-region’s largest city, Moroto. These three-month courses – which encompass Peacebuilding, Information & Communications Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, and Arts & Crafts – are designed to provide trainees with concrete tools and skills that will help them create new economic opportunities, both for themselves and others. Since we opened the center late last year, 85 people have already graduated from these trainings, with many already using what they learned to improve their livelihoods, including by creating or strengthening a business of their own.
At the graduation ceremony, many of the trainees told us how impactful the experience has been transformative for them. “The Arts & Crafts course opened my mind to the possibilities of being a designer,” said Lucy. “I have already sold a number of tie-dye shirts and plan to open a clothing boutique to make even more money.” Peter, an Information & Communications Technology graduate, mentioned how “Before the training, I couldn’t even open and close a computer. Now, I can use Microsoft Office, and I am proud that I created my own email account that I am using to apply to jobs.”
Moving forward, we are confident that these 184 graduates will put the new vocational knowledge and skills that they gained with WPDI to good use in helping their communities become more peaceful and prosperous places.
