To access financing in both initiatives, applicants have to present themselves in groups of between 10 and 15 members. However, the ministry has observed a need to reduce the number of members to not more than six in each group before the next cohort of funds is released.
Government is considering a reduction in the number of people required for a group to qualify for funding under the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP).
The two government initiatives were rolled out over the last two years, to reduce unemployment among youth and women respectively.
The Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) seeks to equip youth between 18-30 years with skills and start-up capital to enable them effectively participate in National development and improve their quality of life. Similarly, The Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) provides women aged 18 to 65 years with interest free loans, technical advice, information on value addition and market access for goods and services.
To access financing in both initiatives, applicants have to present themselves in groups of between 10 and 15 members. However, the ministry has observed a need to reduce the number of members to not more than six in each group before the next cohort of funds is released.
The plan was unveiled by Gender Minister Hajat Janat Balunzi Mukwaya at the end of monitoring visits in several parts of the country. The visits covered the districts of Abim, Moroto, Katakwi, Mayuge, Kaliro, Kamuli, Mpigi, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Kisoro, Kabale, Isingiro, Ntungamo and Kiruhura.
James Tumwebaze, the Acting Programme Manager in charge of the Youth Livelihood Programme says that groups with fewer numbers of people are easier to coordinate.
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In addition to reducing the number of members in each group, the Ministry of Gender will be reducing the length of the registration forms from three pages to one page in order to ease access to the funds.
Tumwebaze says that several beneficiaries have complained about the length of the current form describing it as cumbersome to complete. “In some parts of the country that we visited, people told us that they wanted shorter forms to fill in for registration.”
The YLP was started in 2013 by government as a means of empowering youth in the country and to address unemployment among them. However in some areas like Mayuge and Mpigi, youths have been arrested for failing to pay back funds given to them.
Pamela Mawanda
Freelancer
