Environmental Women in Action for Development (EWAD) under the Work No Child’s Business (WNCB) Skills development program has passed out 58 youth who have successfully completed community based skilling in different vocational skilling disciplines.
They Include Six (6) for motorcycle mechanics, 24 for hairdressing, three barbers, 22 tailoring and fashion design, and 3 for catering.
The graduates have undergone intense training at the EWAD community based skilling centers in Busia district where EWAD is using vocational skilling as a complementary tool to end Child labor in the Gold rich Busia district.
The vocational skills imparted among the graduates include, Certificate in Tailoring and fashion design, Certificate in Motorcycle mechanics, Certificate in hospitality and catering, Certificate in Carpentry and wood technology and certificate in hairdressing
The graduates passed out at a very colorful graduation ceremony held at Tiira Primary school in Busia district, one of the model local community schools where EWAD is implementing several interventions to end child labor.
The 2nd EWAD vocational skilling graduation ceremony has been preceded by a match through the streets of Tiira town council attracting a swarm of community members amazed by the success of their children many of whom are survivors of child labor while others dropped out of formal schools as a result of the prolonged 2 year COVID 19 LOCK down which affected many school going children.
While presiding over the Graduation ceremony, the chief guest challenged the graduates to go change and change the communities and the world.
“The world today is driven by innovations by people with vocational skills, I urge all of you to carry forward the skills you have obtained in the different disciplines to transform your selves, families, villages, Busia as a district and the world at large.”
He further commended WNCB/EWAD for the continued commitment and vision to end child labor through providing alternative education to the victims who may not proceed with the formal education.
“When EWAD and WNCB project started, some people thought that they were joking yet not. It is now an open fact that your activities in Busitema, Tiira and Amonikakine sub counties are transforming communities. You have created community based structures to mobilize our people against child labor, provided E learning facilities in our schools, and helped schools to create a conducive learning environment which I’m sure has improved school performance and attracted children away from the mines and other places of child labor into school, weld one!”
Speaking at the Graduation ceremony, EWAD executive director Margaret Tuhumwire said that the graduation of survivors of child labor with employable vocational skills is an indicator that child labor can be defeated.
“EWAD has used vocational skills as one of the tools to fight child labor and its working. If this approach is complemented by everyone’s efforts at all levels, we can end child Labor. I want to congratulate our graduates for this victory.”
The event was attended by Busia district Education Officer (DEO), sub county chairpersons, councilors, LC1-11 chairpersons, the police, community members, and children.
The children were encouraged to focus on Education so as to guarantee a bright & gainful future.
Special thanks to our partners HIVOs, Nascent, Save the children, Uganda national teachers union and the government of Uganda for their enormous collective efforts towards the progressive elimination of child Labor in Uganda.
Another group of over 100 learners have been admitted for the same above-mentioned vocational skilling programs and are due for graduation next year 2024.
