Empowering Futures: The Vital Role of a Career Pathways Program in Uganda

We know education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty but unfortunately, many students in Uganda face numerous challenges in accessing quality education due to their financial circumstances or academic performance. 

Students are often unable to pursue their career goals and are limited in their options for future employment. The pilot Career Pathways Program aims to address these challenges and gaps by providing support to students from low-income backgrounds and by equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed in their chosen careers.

Identifying the need

At the end of 2022 19 students who completed Senior 4 decided to not continue onto their A levels (or HSC equivalent in Aus). The development of the Career Pathways Program has been designed as a pilot for these 19 students to provide vocational opportunities to these students who cannot afford school fees or who might not have performed well in academics. 

By targeting students from low-income families who face significant barriers to education and providing support and resources to our students, the program will empower them to pursue their career aspirations and improve future prospects after graduating from the program.

Implementing this new program with 19 students is a wonderful opportunity for School for Life to gain a better understanding of the student's needs ahead of the large cohort of students graduating Senior 5 next year.

Based on the experiences and feedback from our inaugural group of school leavers, we can improve the program to ensure all our students feel fully supported on their journey.

The role of the Career Pathway Programs

  1. Specialised vocational skills: The vocational education programs offer specialised knowledge and these programs provide the in-depth learning and skills necessary to excel in these areas, and achieve their career goals.

  2. Breaking Economic Barriers: One of the greatest challenges for students in Uganda is the financial burden that comes with pursuing higher education. The pathways program is making it possible for talented students to access education that might otherwise be out of reach.

  3. Increased Employability:  The program will equip students with critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills that are essential to succeed in their chosen careers, the program will improve their employability and help them to secure meaningful employment.

  4. Building Leaders: Students taking on further education are more likely to take on leadership roles and lead their communities towards progress.

Preparing for the program

Three of our staff members, Janepher, Edward and Lynn facilitated a 3-day orientation course for the 19 young students in August 2023. This was the first session of our Readiness Program to help prepare, support and mentor the students entering vocational studies, setting them up for success. The students will also be supported throughout their course duration as we recognise that this is a huge change for our students which may present some challenges along the way!

An inspiring message from our Head of Programs Janepher, who was there to see the students off on their first day. She shared:

“Today was one of my happiest days, escorting our children to join a technical college made me so proud, it took me down memory lane when some of them could not button their shirts or do their shoe laces wearing big uniform shorts 😀 That time they had no dreams or purpose but now they are ladies and gentlemen who have got big dreams and looking forward to a brighter future”

The students looked thrilled to be starting college in a field and career of their choosing, and we can’t wait to see what they go on to achieve!


Meet some of the students

Each of the students' stories is a reminder of the ripple effect of education and how they will go on to not only change their life, but their families and communities. 

Christine Nankindu

Christine joined School for Life in 2011 at Katuuso Primary School and completed and started secondary school at Mbazzi High School in 2018 where she completed her O’level’s in 2022. She ”chose cosmetology and beauty therapy because [I] am interested in getting skills and start my own salon and improve my family welfare.”

Christine grew up in Katuuso and is one of 11 siblings. Her father sadly passed away when she was in primary five and she tells us her mother earns 30,000 UGX (~12 AUD) a month in order to cater for their basic needs.

Brian Kanyike

Brian joined School for Life in 2011 at Katuuso Primary School and started at Mbazzi High School in 2018. He “chose motor vehicle mechanics because [I] am interested in getting skills and also start[ing] my own garage where I can start earning and support my family. After my course I will be able to start my own garage and also help my community.”

Brian lives in Katuuso and is the eldest of 5 siblings. His parents are subsistence farmers who depend on their harvest for income. He tells us that they have always had financial difficulties. We were glad to see him join the pathways program and pursue mechanics!


Jalia Nambi

Jalia started at School for Life in senior one at Mbazzi High School in 2018. Jalia tells us that her mother started a small restaurant at Bujuuko trading center where she occasionally works. She “chose catering and hotel management because I have picked interest in hotel management [and] learnt a few skills in our restaurant which I would like to develop.” 

Jalia lives in Bujuuko with her mother and 5 siblings. Jalia’s mother suggested that she stops studying in senior four so that she can also support her siblings. She tells us that after her course, she would like to expand her mother’s restaurant. 


Emmanuel Kayiza

Emmanuel started at School for Life in 2013 when he was in Primary 3. He is now going on to become a nurse after completing senior four in 2022. He tells us his "desire to improve people’s health and lives in the community made me choose nursing" and he hopes to "provide quality medical services to the people in my community and use those skills to create my own clinic so as to extend medical services near our community."

Emmanuel’s family relies on farming and agriculture to cater for the family's needs. Once he starts his own clinic, he hopes to be able provide for his family and educate his community on medical misinformation.

Investing in a pathways program not only transforms the students lives but has a cascading effect that ripples through communities. It bridges the gap between education and sustainable careers. They’re able to contribute to their communities and create a positive cycle of development, leading to improved living standards, reduced poverty, and enhanced social and economic stability. Click here to make a donation so we can continue investing in programs such as these and educate poverty out of existence!

Success Stories
Goretti

Sweet and shy Goretti lives with her aunt, uncle and cousins in a small house in the local village. When Goretti was younger, she moved in with her aunt and uncle because her parents could no longer look after her. She was one of our first students at Katuuso Primary, starting in 2011 when she was just 4 years old. Now, Goretti is in Senior One at Mbazzi High School, and is relishing the honour of being a high school student in her community - something that is taken for granted in Australia, but in Uganda, represents freedom and opportunity. Goretti also loves attending School for Life because she hopes to one day become a pilot in Uganda - a dream which she knows can only be reached with the help of a good education.

Violah

Violah has been at School for Life since since she was six years old. Sadly, Violah has experienced hardship no child should ever deal with. Her Dad passed away three years ago, leaving her Mum without the financial means to support her family - so she left Violah and her siblings with their elderly grandmother. Every day, Violah has to wake up at 5am to fetch water, cook meals and make sure that her younger sisters are properly looked after. Then she walks half an hour to get to school. Despite this adversity, Violah has flourished at school and has made many friends. She loves that School for Life is "helping me to build a future". After finishing school, Violah hopes to become a teacher to help other children.

Umar

Umar is one of our best performing students at Mbazzi Riverside High School - but life has not always been easy for Umar. His father abandoned the family in 2015, leaving his mother to struggle to support her five children on her own. School for Life has provided Umar with opportunities that may never else have eventuated for him. Umar begun his journey with School for Life at Katuuso Primary School, where his academic ability was quickly revealed. Now, he is a thriving member of our Senior 1 class and a formidable wing on the football team. With a love for mathematics, Umar is set on studying electronic engineering after finishing his senior studies - a goal which he is the first to admit is now within reach thanks to the skills and resources provided to him by School for Life.

Rose Nambooze

Rose is a 32‐year‐old single mother of one. She started working with SFL in 2013, after taking part in our tailoring training program. Prior to working with us, she was unemployed and living in her father's home helping to care for her father, who had cataracts, and his farm.
Thanks to her full time employment, Rose was able to save enough money to pay for an eye operation and restore her father's sight, allowing him to return to work as a mechanic. Now, Rose has moved into her own home and no longer relies on her father financially. 

Joseph

Joseph is one of our Special Needs teachers at Katuuso. After surviving a severe case of malaria at age four, he was left permanently deaf. He was raised by his single mother and attended a nursery school for the handicapped and later transferred to a school for the Deaf in Kampala. He eventually mastered sign language and pursued a university degree in education. Joseph decided to become a teacher so that he could give the gift of education to others who are hearing impaired.

Teddy Namatovu

Teddy is a participant in the Kumi Tailoring Program and four of her five children attend Katuuso Primary School. She and her husband farm two acres of land, which supplies fluctuating revenue. Participation in the Kumi Tailoring Project has secured income to reliably pay for school fees, nutritious meals and renovations to the family home. Teddy has gained a great deal of self-esteem from her ability to support her family and she takes pride in independently financing the education of all five children. Teddy has also been working on her numeracy and administration skills. She was appointed Treasurer of the tailoring group and will be responsible for keeping records of their savings.

Flaviah Nassaazi

Flaviah Nassaazi started working at Katuuso Primary and Vocational School in 2011. Prior to cooking at the school, she and her husband were subsistence farmers. They worked tirelessly for small yields and minimal income to support their family. Flaviah's cooking job not only enables her to pay school fees for her children, but she has also invested in a local barbershop business. She is now passing her cooking skills onto her eldest son Frank, who has also joined the school's cooking staff. Flaviah and her husband attend the adult literacy classes offered weekly at the school. Her English and reading have improved immensely, as well as her confidence.

Rachel

In 2010, Rachel began as a cleaner at Katuuso Primary and Vocational School. She was working to save money to study to be a teacher at University. Thanks to Barrie and Simone Goldsmith, her dream of studying came true and she is now fully qualified.