VOCATIONAL Education for Marginalised Youths (VEMA) project, implemented by the Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA) College in Mwanza, is starting to show positive results by empowering young people to overcome economic challenges through vocational skills training.
Speaking during an exclusive interview Engineer Henry Kasele who is the Principal of VETA Mwanza said the project began in March 2024 with the aim of helping 800 youths from 13 wards in Ilemela and Nyamagana districts to acquire vocational skills in various fields, including automotive electricity, vehicle mechanics, welding, household electricity, tailoring, safety, and cooking.
“This project is a solution for young people who previously had no access to vocational training, and now many of them have started to become self-reliant,” Engineer Kasele said, noting that the initiative is designed to provide youths with opportunities for self-employment and formal employment, enabling them to improve their economic status and livelihoods.
One of beneficiaries, Ms Jesca Kanuti said the training she received enabled her to start her own plumbing service office, providing installation services for clean and wastewater systems in households.
“Before, I could not even save 500/-, but now I can meet my basic needs and support my family,” Jesca said.
She also urged the government and development partners to continue supporting skilled youths through affordable loans to expand their economic activities. Meanwhile, Mr Yusuph Omollo, who is Community Development Officer and Civil Society Coordinator for Ilemela Municipal Council said the council continues to provide 10 percent loans to women, youth, and persons with disabilities, either through groups or individuals within groups.
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He emphasized that these loans must be repaid, as they are not grants and noted that some applicants fail to receive loans due to not meeting the set requirements. Omollo called on ‘Ward Development Officers’ to help groups register and join formal systems so they can benefit from the loan opportunities offered by the council.
On his side VEMA Project Coordinator from Plan International, Mr Gadiel Kayanda, said the project focuses on three key objectives of inclusive education, economic empowerment of youths and child protection, including combating genderbased violence.
Mr Kayanda said that under the economic empowerment component, the project equips youths with practical and theoretical skills in various trades, including tailoring, plumbing, catering, welding and automotive mechanics, enabling them to secure employment or start their own businesses.
He revealed that a total of 800 youths are targeted under the project in three phases, with two phases already completed. In the first phase alone, 200 youths were enrolled, of whom 171 successfully graduated, representing 85.5 per cent completion.
“We spent 80m/- to cover training fees and learning equipment. Additionally, graduates organised in production groups were provided with start-up tools worth 40m/- according to their respective trades,” said Mr Kayanda.
He added that as a result of the training, 28 youths have secured employment in private companies, including hotels, garages and welding workshops, while 20 others have ventured into self-employment. The project has also facilitated the formation of 53 savings and lending groups comprising 1,158 members, including 633 women, 525 men and persons with special needs.
The groups have collectively saved over 192.9m/-, with more than 107.3m/- issued as loans, leading to the establishment of 809 businesses. However, Mr Kayanda noted challenges such as absenteeism caused by family responsibilities, which led some trainees to drop out.
He further said that five female trainees gave birth during the training period. He said VEMA project implemented by Plan International, with financial support from the Belgian Development Cooperation in collaboration with SEDIT and the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) Mwanza.