Training to lift young Ugandans out of poverty

A recent report from Siriba VTC tells us that young people are continuing in training on four programmes: Carpentry and Joinery, Brick Laying and Concrete Practice, Tailoring, and Motor Vehicle Mechanics and Driving.  Altogether about 25 students are attending these courses and gaining significant skills which will enable them to find employment or to go on to more advanced courses in higher Technical Institutes.  It is not proving easy to maintain these four courses because the hoped-for extra funds from student fees are proving hard to maintain.  A number of the students are orphans with no one to pay their fees. However the income from fees is gradually rising and this is a hopeful sign for the longer term.  

There are a number of challenges which face the work of the Centre which are proving difficult to overcome, the most important of which are management issues.  Some time ago the local bishop constituted a new Board of Governors with a new Chair.  The hope was that the new board would give the project a lift and set it on a longer term path.  But this Board has not been able to hold regular meetings and, so far, too much responsibility for overall planning and  monitoring has fallen on the shoulders of the Principal.  The local bishop has now been elected as the new archbishop of Uganda and it is doubtful whether he will be available to sort out these issues.  We are pursuing other avenues to get the Principal more support. Our overall feeling is that the vision that the project began with was too high and that a more realistic vision needs to be worked out.

A second borehole was sunk, the first one having failed, so that the Centre, as well as the Primary School which is on the same site, could have its own water supply.  This second borehole has now failed and so we have had to commission another geological survey to see whether any further drilling is worthwhile. 
Unless the results are strong and positive we will have to try to raise money for a water harvesting system.

Another difficulty has also arisen in that the building which was provided for the Centre is now in need of repair and maintenance.  In particular some of the roof trusses need strengthening.  We are currently trying to get proper estimates for the work that needs doing so that it can be put in hand.

Our hope is that with a new management structure and with more modest aims the VTC will continue to serve the young people of Siriba and the surrounding area for years to come.

General conditions in Uganda are proving difficult.  Instead of the very predictable rainy seasons the weather is now erratic.  This affects the Siriba region in two ways.  Firstly, most people in the area, including teachers at the school and tutors at the VTC, rely on growing a proportion of their own food.  The changes in weather are making this very problematic.  A knock on effect is that food prices in the local markets are rising and this, together with more general
inflation, is making life difficult for the majority of people.

The work at the Siriba Vocational Training Centre (VTC) is progressing well.  Currently there are 54 registered students with four courses  running.  There are courses in carpentry and tailoring which were the first two  courses to be offered when the project started.  There are now two new courses on motor vehicle maintenance and in building skills.  There are nine tutors some  of whom are paid and some offering their services in a voluntary capacity. It  was agreed with the local managers of the project that apart from carpentry and  tailoring all new courses should be fully self funding and this has seemed to  work.  The two original courses and the general running of the VTC continue to  need grant aid in order to flourish.

Investigations are underway with the appropriate ministries  with the Ugandan Government for proper recognition of the VTC and the  qualifications that it awards.  If full recognition is to be given then it is  clear that the government will need high standards and it is also clear that  demands will be made on the resources of the VTC.  For example the government  will require the proper provision of sufficient latrines.  We have been able to send out some extra grants for latrines and also some money for electricity  provision.  This has only been possible because of the generosity of donors.   Further grants will be required to bring the VTC up to government standards and hope that some funding may follow that will help the project towards self sustainability.

The Siriba VTC is in the grounds of  a Church of Uganda  Primary School.  The Headteacher of the School and the two Deputy Heads were  leading players in the founding of the VTC.  One of the Deputy Heads moved a little while ago to be the Headteacher of a nearby school in a Refugee Camp.   Earlier this year the Headteacher and the remaining Deputy Head were also moved  to other schools.  These moves made local governance of the project a bit shaky and the response has been to create a completely new Board of Governors.   This has now met and the hope is that it will give the project a new  impetus.

I visited the project on 2010 and in 2011.  Another  volunteer, who helped with the building of the VTC, is about to go out to visit  the unit and to monitor progress.  Over the last year we have been receiving  better reports by Email, but there is nothing better than the personal touch.   He is also going to see how the new Board of Governors is shaping up, as well as  to encourage staff and students.

In my previous reports I have mentioned the situation  concerning the borehole.  There was no water on site and so it was agreed to  make a donation to sink a borehole.  This was done first in 2008 but the  borehole turned out to be dry.  In 2011 a new borehole was drilled (after two  attempts) and initially worked well.  However we have heard from the Busoga  Trust who organised the installation that this new borehole is only supplying  water for part of the day.  The Trust has advised us to have a new geological  survey done and then consider sinking yet another borehole. 

Another problem is that the Ugandan Government has imposed  heavy duties on imported items including tools which are being sent out from  abroad.  We had organised another substantial shipment of tools for carpentry and tailoring but the charity that organises this has had to delay the shipment  until talks with the government can, hopefully, resolve the problem.  If this  cannot be done then it may be cheaper in the long run to send out cash grants rather than pay for expensive shipping and duty.