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Background – For decades, Uganda lived under the rule of a succession of dictators. The war that raged in the north of the country for more than twenty years led to the displacement of 1.6 million people from their villages. However, the south of the country has impressed with its steady rates of growth. The north has has reaped little or no benefit from these positive developments. Uganda remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The average daily income hovers below one dollar a day. While 40 per cent of the population in the south are living below the poverty line, in the north this figure rises as high as 70 per cent. Young people have been particularly affected by high unemployment, which is caused in part by the scarcity of vocational training.

The Project – Swisscontact is fostering a Ugandan project that is aimed at assessing formal vocational training. Above all, this has been lacking a practical component. In a training workshop for each of their respective occupations, the skilled artisans involved are developing a standardised teaching programme, which is divided into modules. The apprentices are being given temporary assignments in companies where they can obtain practical experience. Staff of small enterprises are thus able to gain practical experience in larger companies, where they can develop their skills. Another aspect of the project involves providing shop owners, instructors and foremen, both women and men, with further training in business administration. Each of these elements increases the productivity of Ugandan crafts SMEs, and also enhances the quality of their products. This leads, in turn, to an increase in demand and, therefore, to more work and higher levels of income for the young people.