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Update of Project Hope: Northern Uganda Youth Development Centre

3 August 2007

The growing success of the Northern Uganda Youth Development Centre (NUYDC) has begun to gain national interest as the Minister for Northern Uganda visited the centre on 21 July

She was impressed by the speed and quality of the work that has taken place so far. Joseph Okema, the NUYDC’s Project Manager gives us an update of its progress:

At present the following has been completed:

• The classrooms block is roofed, window frames put in place and plastered. They are now removing the soil from the quadrangle
• The science laboratory has reached roofing level. It is ready to receive the roof
• The workshop has reached roofing level and the carpentry section is now receiving the roof
• Removing the soil from the quadrangle in the workshop area is taking place
• The administrative block has reached ring beam level and today they were casting the beam. This should be able to carry the roof in two weeks time
• The staff room block has reached roofing level
• The junior staff house has reached roofing level
• The ablution has reached roofing level
• The pit latrine has been casted and in two weeks should be at roofing level
• The agricultural training centre where we are to construct the poultry and piggery unit and establish demonstration has not yet started. This has been due to the position of the land. On Monday 16^th July, the owner of the land finally agreed to sell the land to the government. The process of getting the land has started. We can however begin to make use of the land.

On 24 July the centre had a planning meeting for a roll out of the learners that have been training in the centre. In the last steering committee meeting, the following was suggested:

1. If Mrs Florence Mugasha, the Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General is coming to the centre in August, the passing out or graduation of the learners could be arranged in such a way that it will coincide with her visit and she will be able to pass them out
2. There is a plan to have the Ministers of Education and the youth to visit the centre in August; we could use this opportunity to pass them out. Though our preference would be for the Commonwealth to officiate at the pass out and this activities form part of the prelude to the CHOGM. The activities will include, exhibition, advocacy for peace, etc.

Fish Pond

Encouraged by the success of the first fish pond the group member of Jing Cwinyi have embarked on opening the second fish pond. They intend to have 4-5 fish pond in the area. Thanks to Mrs Mugasha who suggested the idea for the project to last year. It is now bearing the fruit.

The project has been approached by a number of young people to help them also establish fish pond in their own area. The fish pond project is very viable and can benefit from the Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative (CYCI).