By Mike Rwothomio

To address the high youth unemployment rate and ease financial access, Zombo rural development network association Uganda ( ZORUDENA), has now extended it's services to Alangi and Nyapea Sub-Counties. 

The organization has its core objectives that hinges on its formulated policies of bridging that gap thus improved standard of living of the vulnerable people of Zombo district.

In the past years, through their development-led initiative, ZORUDENA has been primarily focusing on promoting human development by increasing human financial and skill capacity in Paidha town council and Paidha sub county respectively.

In an interview with this Publication, the project coordinator of ZORUDENA Jackson Otingcwinyu, notes of taking the services to the hard to reach community due to high demand.

He also highlighted the organization's achievement of enhancing status of majorly youths especially teenage mothers impacted by the outcome of COVID-19 Pandemic.

" We have extended our activities to change lives in Nyapea and Alangi Sub counties, over the years, we have seen the livelihoods of our people change for the better, that is what we intend to do not only in Zombo District but other parts of West Nile as well" Otingcwinyu explained.

The organization's project funded by Swiss NGO ,encourage, install, establish and promote development and acquisition of knowledge and skills, create a social environment and mental wellbeing suitable for the vulnerable people, establish a system and institutions that lay emphases on physical, social and intellectual welfare of people (children, widows and disable in distress amongst others.

Some of the skilled teenage mothers and youths.

The manager of ZORUDENA calls upon more youths to embrace the initiative, urging locals participating in their micro finance scheme to adhere to their friendly terms and conditions to ensure the revolving funds extends to more under privileged.

Zombo is blessed with vocational schools like Ora technical institute Warr and Presidential Skilling hub in Aka Sub county.

Songa Biyika Lawrence, the MP for Ora County has rallied youths to embrace vocational knowledge to tackle sky-high unemployment rate in the area.

Through the project over the years, hundreds of skilled youths have been equipped with knowledge and start-up kits, making them to become self reliant. Those who ventured into different projects upon acquiring loans from ZORUDENA'S micro finance scheme has success stories of sending their children to good schools, prosperous businesses amongst others.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the youth unemployment rate stood at 17% in 2021. The project is seen as a crucial step in reducing this number

ZORUDENA's Manager emphasized the importance of teamwork, knowledge exchange, and upgrading their skills through practice and further education.

Zombo District has a population of 312,188, and recent surveys show that 65% of youths in the district cannot read or write. Hands-on skills are being promoted as a way to combat this issue, giving young people practical abilities to succeed in the workforce.

Bruno Obomba Mananu, Assistant Resident District Commissioner of Zombo, praised different organizations for complementing government efforts to reduce poverty.

“I commend all organizations for supplementing the government’s work. We have an industrial hub in Atheju, but the numbers we can support are limited,” Obomba said, encouraging the youth to use their skills to achieve self-reliance.

Zombo’s Community Development Officer, Samuel Ocaki, whilst for a function in Zeu Sub-County recently, urged the youth to put their skills to good use and cautioned against laziness. He also called on parents to support their children and avoid causing conflicts.

The projects continues to provide hope and practical solutions for Zombo’s youth, preparing them for a brighter and more self-reliant future.

ZORUDENA is apparently majoring on extending skills in tailoring and garment cutting, hairdressing and cosmetology and provision of micro finance services to improve livelihoods.