By Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative
As we mark 20 years of service to the vulnerable in the community Reach Out Mbuya conducted its 6th Graduation for the Kassala -Luweero lot of students. It was jubilation at the graduation held at St. Mary’s Health center Kasaala Luweero on Friday, March 5th, 2021.
52 apprentices graduated with skills in hairdressing, entrepreneurship, behavior change, financial literacy and tailoring.
Those who graduated included adolescent girls, young women as well as grandmothers, and vulnerable children from surrounding households in Luweero.
COVID-19 affected the training in a way that ROM took on a very small number, opting to leave out others. The total number of graduates was 52 , 8 dropped out due to migration while others started working with the new skills they acquired.
ROM hopes to enroll at-least 60 apprentices in the next intake that kicks off in June.
Some of the graduates showcasing their startup equipment given to them by ROM.
Namukose Aisha 18, one of the apprentices says she studied hairdressing because she loves making people look nice. “I dropped out of school in 2017 when I was in senior 2 due to lack of money. Since then, I have been home. With the training, I have received from ROM and the startup equipment, am going to start a salon as I train others from my community.”
Change for the better
Father James Kibuuka the main celebrant called upon the graduates to utilize skills gained during the training for better enhancement of their future.
“I hope these new skills will have a meaningful impact in your lives and the lives of others,” said Fr Kibuuka.
He encouraged the graduates to master the goals at heart and use the skills to change the lives of others as they start a new chapter.
ROM judges as they access the work of the Adolescent Girl and Young Mothers and the grandmothers during the exhibition exercise.
The graduation of the Adolescent Girls and Young Mothers under ROM comes at a time when ROM is marking 20 years of service delivery in the key areas of; HIV/AIDS care, Non-communicable diseases treatment and screening, economic empowerment for the youth and grandmothers, education support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Gender-Based Violence prevention and response interventions.
