Youth livelihood programme will partly address youth unemployment. Government announced the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) during the International Youth Day celebrations recently to supplement the Youth Venture Capital Fund. The programme is a result of combined effort by stakeholders who want to end the escalating problem of youth unemployment. A total of 260b is expected to be inject into this project with 53b being provided every financial year to support the programme according to the Permanent secretary of the Ministry of Gender, labour and social development, Mr. Pius Bigirimana. Hon. Peter Ogwang, commented that “Even if government started with 19b this financial year that would make a difference.” Under this programme the youth will be given an opportunity to identify the projects that they want to engage in then government will just help during the procurement of the inputs required and therefore urges the youth not accept projects imposed on them. Ogwang believes this programme is likely to succeed because the youth have widely been consulted during the programme formulation unlike other programmes where the youth were left out. The programme also offers training and helps in the change of mindset. He compares the programme to NUSAF in Northern Uganda which has been successful. Fred Bbosa, a youth from Mityana welcomes the idea but urges the government to do more to create markets. “Under organised markets the youth projects will more profitable and grow faster which will in turn make loan repayments easier. Government must therefore consider reinstatement of marketing boards.”
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 07:44:23 +0000
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