- This vocational skill has transformed my life greatly. I have become a more responsible young man in my home, community and full of dreams, says Andrew (19).
Andrew Muhumuza is a male aged 19 years from Kabukwiri Ryeru Sub-County who successfully completed his training in Motor bike mechanics.
Andrew comes from a beautiful home not far from Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of East Africa’s popular game parks. Sadly, with the beautiful mountainous landscape comes the challenge of inaccessibility.
Although the place is rich with fertile soils, many people are still very poor as they lack access to many basic needs, poor roads etc. Andrew's parents couldn't afford to pay school fees after his primary school, so he had to drop out.
How he joined the vocational skills program.
In 2016, his village was identified as one of the poorest in Rubirizi and listed as an implementing area for our #PovertyBuster solutions together with our partner COVOID Uganda.
His parents joined a Community Managed Microfinance group and while in a meeting, they learned that SF were enrolling youth in the community Based Vocational Skills Training. Andrew was signed up and he completed his training in motorcycle mechanic which he completed in March 2017.
TVET - Technical Vocational EducationTraining
- This vocational skill has transformed my life greatly. I have become a more responsible young man in my home, community and full of dreams, said Andrew.
After graduation.
Upon graduation in August 2017, Andrew was given tools to use for his work. The start-up kits usually help the youth with a few tools to use for work and start an income generating activity.
“I remained at garage where I trained from and started working seriously because I got enough tools. Since then to date, I started earning Uganda Shillings 5000(Approx:1.35USD) to 8000(2.16USD) a day and sometimes 10,000/=(2.70USD).
When I started earning some good money, I joined Community managed savings group (CMSG) in November 2017 and am saving 10,000(Aprox:2.70USD) per week.
- Before joining Vocational skills training, I was at home doing home chores with no income generating activity and my life was miserable.
The current situation.
“My life has changed because I save my money in CMSG, and during my first cycle, I got a loan of 100,000uganda shillings(27.0USD) and added 80,000 Uganda shillings(21.62USD) from my work of motorcycle mechanic and bought two goats which are home which was not the case before.
In addition to buying goats, I am paying school fees for my sisters where I pay 70,000uganda shillings(18.92USD) (each 35000/=) per term and they are no longer disturbed by school fees.”
Future plans.
Since I have just started working, I have plans of continue working and saving in CMSG so that I can raise enough money to start my own garage. I will also continue paying school fees of my sisters since I failed to study.
“I dropped out of school because of lack of schools, I will not allow the same to happen to my sister.” he stated with determination. After starting his own garage, Andrew has a dream of building a house.