The challenge of unemployment persists among the youths. Hoima district has not been spared from this experience.
Young people mainly school dropouts who lack the requisite skills, capital to start or run businesses to be self-reliant largely respond by idling in trading centres, wasting with drugs and alcohol in frustration.
However, Bugahya County Member of Parliament (MP), Pius Rujumba Wakabi, is supplementing other ongoing efforts to help them out of the unemployment trap through supporting those in organised groups to start income generating activities.
The legislator launched the campaign on September 27, where he handed over two new motorcycles to Bulindi Boda-Boda and Kitoba Sub-County bricklaying associations in Hoima district.
Under the initiative, he said, groups with an intention of procuring more motorcycles, agriculture processing machines, animal husbandry, poultry and salon operators, among others, will be supported with a 50% loan without any interest.
Innocent Agaba, 20-year-old, with a beaming smile as he received the motorcycle on behalf of Bulindi Boda-Boda riders association, composed of 15 youth, told The Albertine Journal that they are going to handover the said motorcycle to one of their own.
“That person will be transporting people at a fee and complete the outstanding debt balance since it was purchased on credit after contributing 50% as deposit to the MP of the total sh5.1m. The money was topped up by the legislator,” he said.
The beneficiaries will pay the balance and gain full ownership of the motorcycles.
Wakabi said if the beneficiaries diligently pays the balance as agreed, it can also help secure more motorcycles for other members in the group to boost their incomes.
Agaba, who also doubles as chairperson for Bulindi Boda-Boda riders association, urged his fellow boda-boda riders (or motorcycle taxi riders) to develop themselves, adding that the opportunity must be well utilised, to attract more funding into the scheme.
Wakabi said he has chosen to support people in groups instead of individuals because when he recently supported youths to buy motorcycles, many failed to pay back.
Wakabi, who said he was supplementing government efforts to fight household poverty, used the occasion to implore residents to take advantage of the various government projects such as Parish Development Model, Operation Wealth Creation and Emyooga to eradicate poverty and live better lives.