(This article was first published on January 12, 2023)
By Douglas Mubiru
SOROTI – Soroti district leaders have lauded Rose Academies, a charitable organization, for skilling youth and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
The remarks were Tuesday (January 10, 2023) made as 126 organisation’s students at Gweri village, Gweri sub-county in Soroti district graduated and received certificates in tailoring and baking after a six-month training.
Officiating the graduation, the district speaker, Stephen Olebe, lauded the organisation, calling on graduands not to sit on the skills they acquired.
“We as government want to thank Rose Academies for thinking it wise to equip trainees with a strong career foundation in tailoring and baking.
And I also want to thank you for partnering with the government to skill the youth, you really thought it wise to train the marginalised mainly my fellow PWDs,” Olebe, also a PWD said.
He congratulated the graduands assuring them of many opportunities out, including in the creative economy that awaits them, urging the learners to take advantage of the skills gained in the courses to challenge the world because Disability is not Inability.
In her maiden speech, Clare Ainomugisha, the Rose Academies program director in Uganda, said the organization has developed a strong educational program, designed to empower the disadvantaged with life-saving knowledge.
Ainomugisha stressed that the 126 graduands, came from all the three Soroti district sub-counties of Awaliwal, Aukot, and Gweri.
“Today, we are celebrating the graduation of 126 students that have participated in our Skills Development Program. We are exceptionally proud,” remarked Ainomugisha.
She stated that during baking classes, students were taught how to make bread, cakes, and doughnuts, as well as to construct local ovens and follow recipes.
“In the tailoring class, students are taught sewing basics, how to use a treadle a sewing machine, how to work with patterns and how to make garments,” stated Ainomugisha.
Leaders speak out
Gweri Sub-County Chief Paul Otuba called upon the graduands to train in value-creating skills to bring economic and social benefits to the country.
“You should, therefore, be job-creators and not job-seekers after this graduation, create business brands for yourself and make the right decisions in business because the world has become a global village,” Otuba told graduands.
John Peter Omoding, 60, who spoke on behalf of the parents thanked Rose Academies for what he termed creating wealth for their children.
“As parents, we want to thank Rose Academies for breeding new entrepreneurs. You have aided our children when we had no money to educate them, but with this acquisition of skills, they can at least make themselves something to sell and in return feed us,” said Omoding.
What graduands said
Gabriel Odolo, 23, from Omugenya village in Gweri Sub-County and graduated in baking said he learnt how to make bread, doughnuts, cakes and mandazi.
“I can now make my own money, I thought the world had ended, but I now sell what I bake, earn some money and also looked after my siblings,” remarked Odolo.
Meanwhile, Sarah Aswamo, 24, called upon the government and the organization leadership to support them with sewing machines, saying she had learnt sewing but lacked a machine to commence work.
Martin Egoluma, 36, a PWD from Omogenya village who graduated in baking said, “I previously could not even feed my two children, but having learnt baking skills, I sell my products and in return, I feed my children.”
Esther Abuko, 44, and single mother of four from Dokolo village who graduated in tailoring said she sells her dresses between sh5,000-sh10,000, therefore enabling her to pay off her children’s school fees and pay medical bills for one of her sickly children.
About the organization
Rose Academies Uganda is a unique organization that works to remove barriers that prevent vulnerable and oppressed women, youth, and the disabled from reaching their full potential in life simply by sharing the gift of knowledge.
While in Soroti, the organization specifically works with the rural poor in all three sub-counties of Awaliwal, Aukot, Gweri and empowers groups PWDs with their educational workshops.
The workshops include nutrition, feminine health, family health, disease prevention, vegetable gardening, skills and money management.
