From Joblessness to Enterprise: Makerere’s Landmark Climate Initiative Opens New Doors for Uganda’s Forgotten Youth

By Brian Mugenyi | mugenyijj@gmail.com

KAMPALA, UGANDA — In a country where youth unemployment poses a critical challenge to socio-economic transformation, a groundbreaking initiative at Makerere University is shifting the narrative. It is moving beyond basic classroom instruction to unlock tangible economic opportunities and cultivate a new generation of climate-smart entrepreneurs.

The Africa Climate Collaborative (ACC) at Makerere University, backed by the Mastercard Foundation, has rolled out a fully funded Youth Skilling Programme. The initiative intentionally equips young people with market-driven skills designed to build sustainable businesses, secure decent livelihoods, and drive community climate resilience.

The ambitious eight-year project kicks off with a pilot cohort of 50 young people from Lwengo, Rakai, and Yumbe districts. Over its lifecycle, it aims to directly empower 500 youth through hands-on vocational training, enterprise development, and localized innovation.

Bridging the Higher Education Gap

For thousands of young Ugandans—particularly those who completed Senior Four but lacked the financial backing to pursue higher education—the doors to the formal economy have long been shut. This initiative targets that exact missing link.

Speaking at the launch, Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, the Programme Director of the Africa Climate Collaborative, emphasized that the initiative was designed to capture the untapped potential of rural and marginalized youth.

“We realized that there are several young people who never got an opportunity to attend university or pursue higher education, yet they constitute the majority of our population,” Prof. Nabanoga noted. “We are intentionally creating pathways that enable them to acquire practical skills, participate meaningfully in the economy, and secure dignified employment.”

Development experts agree that Uganda’s demographic dividend can only be realized by shifting from theoretical learning to practical, job-creating skills.

The Strategy: Climate-Smart Agribusiness

Unlike conventional skilling initiatives, the ACC model is deeply practical and centered on a high-growth sector: the poultry value chain.

Trainees will undergo intensive, residential instruction at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute, Kabanyolo (MUARIK). The curriculum targets specific, high-demand areas:

• Feed Production & Hatchery Management: Formulating affordable, climate-resilient feeds and mastering modern breeding.

• Value Addition & Waste Management: Processing poultry products for higher market value and converting waste into organic fertilizer.

Following their stay at MUARIK, participants will enter industry attachments to gain real-world commercial experience before returning home.

Crucially, the training links directly to national standards. Graduates will sit the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) competency examinations, earning nationally recognized vocational certificates that validate their expertise to lenders and employers.

Reaching the Underserved

The pilot phase targets young people aged 18 to 35 from specific hubs:

• Lwengo Sub-county (Lwengo District)

• Ddwaniro Sub-county (Rakai District)

• Zone 5 of Bidibidi Refugee Settlement & Ariwa Sub-county (Yumbe District)

By intentionally lowering barriers for young women, young mothers, refugees, and persons with disabilities, the program models a truly inclusive approach to economic development.

Furthermore, the project is structured to create a sustainable ripple effect. Graduates will not leave as isolated job seekers; they will be supported to establish community poultry enterprises, acting as local knowledge hubs to train other youth in their districts.

The Big Picture

As Uganda accelerates its focus on industrialization and food security, this initiative demonstrates how higher education can step outside lecture halls to address grassroots economic realities. By combining agricultural value chains with entrepreneurship, Makerere’s ACC is transforming marginalized youth from economic bystanders into active agents of regional wealth creation.

Fast Facts & How to Apply

Application Channels:

• Online Portal: Access via the official Africa Climate Collaborative platform.

• Email Submission: Send details directly to climateresilience@mak.ac.ug.

• Physical Submission: Drop applications off at designated district offices in Lwengo, Rakai, and Yumbe.

For media inquiries and institutional partnerships, contact Damali Mukhaye, Communications, Public Relations and Branding Officer at the Africa Climate Collaborative, Makerere University.