Government of Uganda introduced the Youth Livelihood Programme three years ago to help the millions of Uganda’s youth who had troubles accessing credit get capital for the business start-ups.
Currently, about 70% of the country’s 34.9 million people are youth faced with challenges of unemployment and poverty.
Even worse, many of them do not have any tangible collateral security to enable them access credit from financial institutions and help them improve their lives.
Enter Youth Livelihood Programme
Government seems to have found a solution based on the performance of the on-going five year YLP plan.
Pius Bigirimana, the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development says YLP has so far disbured Shs 84.5 billion to the youth, financing 11,503 projects and benefitting more than 144,235 beneficiaries.
“The government believes in the Asset Based Approach to youth programming. We dont look at youth as targets to be met but as key players in shaping their own destinies” Bigirimana told this website
“It is for this reason why Uganda is one of the few countries that has entrenched youth participation in legislature, local government management and has a fully-fledged youth leadership structure that runs from village to national level” Bigirimana added
Uptake of YLP funds impressive
Shillings 265 billion was set aside for the Youth fund. Over 84.5 billion has so far been disbursed.
Out of the money disbursed, Bigirimana says, Shs 11.6 billion has been collected countrywide, enabling youths to grow various business ventures and thus improve their livelihoods and communities.
Bigirimana says the government is reviewing the programme aimed at reducing the number of youth in the group from the current 10 – 15 members to about 5 or 6 for efficiency and ensure that members realise the benefits of their projects quickly.
He also says the mode of distribution will be looked into and change it if neccesary as a result of youths complaining of district officilas soliciting bribes from then prior to taking the money.
The programme covers all the 112 Districts of Uganda (including Kampala Capital City Authority). Cabinet and Parliament approved a budget of Shs 265 Billion for the first 5 years of implementation 2013-14 to 2017-18.
