CHALLENGES WE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCE

Challenges.

Delays in the vocation tools.

The delay in the vocation tools to reach our project for the last six months greatly affected our progress. The few carpentry and tailoring tools available were being shared.

This led to wastage of time and carrying out constant repairs hence an increase in the costs of repairs and maintenance. However we thank God for having received some tools from TWAM UK.

Students’ personal problems

Some of the students most especially in the tailoring section face personal problems which lead them to miss lessons for a number of days like illness, caring for guardians who are sick etc.

This has been a great hindrance towards the progress of some students and a big challenge to the trainer.

Current economic crisis in Uganda.

Uganda is currently affected by an increase in the prices of commodities due to increase in fuel prices. Food prices have more than doubled, transport costs have doubled.

This has greatly affected us because we spent beyond our planned expenditure. Hence a big threat to our progress.

Transport:

Transport is another challenge we currently face when trying to implement our programs. We find it difficult to disseminate our programs to the community due to lack of transport.

Transportation of wood and timbre for carpentry is also very difficult.  We have trained volunteers who move around in schools, trading centers sensitizing the public on programs like peer education for Adolescent sexual and reproductive health, participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation etc.

Therefore due to the nature and bulkiness of some of our items, the project needs a vehicle (pick up) to ease transport.

Constant power failure schedules.

We are greatly affected by constant power failure schedules. This is a great challenge to our progress because our programmes like computer courses are not completed in time as planned. We lack a standby generator.

Lack of Enough Financial supoport,

Due to the current economic crisis that is prevailing in Uganda which has led to a general increase in the prices of commodities and an increase in the dollar currency.

 We have been forced to forego some of our budget expenses which are indeed very important. This has greatly affected our progress.

Students still need materials to use like cloths, timbre etc. We need more furniture for the students to sit on. We experience high costs for repairs and maintainance of the machines like sewing machines.

We need to buy 200 chairs to add on those available and also purchase three tents which can accomodate 100 people each. The is to have a tent and chairs project for hire.

Way Forward.

Skills building and Income generating Activities

We are to put much more emphasis on skills building programmes and income generating activities for future self sustenance. We hope to produce more carpentry products, tailoring products. We have plans to increase on the party chairs to at least have 300 chairs, we also wish to acquire 3 tents.

All these activities if planned and put into operation will lead to increase on income and finance other project activities. 

Hair dressing programmes

Many youths most especially, the girls who dropped out of school have contacted us for the hair dressing programme.

Hair dressing is a lucrative income generating activity which can sustain the youth especially the girls who have lost hope and others resorting to marriage when they are still young.

Therefore because of the community need we have found it necessary to have this programme put in place to help the girl child.

Graduation Ceremony

Due to the above mentioned factors which have hindered our progress, we decided to have our graduation ceremony for this in take to be organized on

Friday 24th / Feb. / 2012. The extension of the graduation ceremony will help those students who are still poor in performance to pick up.

It will also give enough time to the students to learn how to use some tools new tools we have acquired.

    Conclusion:

The project has received a positive response from the community. The skills and knowledge introduced to the youths and children from the project activities carried out have improved the lives and conditions of the community members. Special thanks from the Management and students of HUPGEN for the possible material and financial support from Tools for Self Reliance (TFSR) and Tools with a Mission (TWAM UK). We therefore invite more organisations and individuals to join hands with us and help the upcoming generation.