LIRA, Uganda – Odoch Jimmy Ronald, the Executive Director of the SOHURA Foundation, announced the implementation of a four-year project. The foundation has formed a cluster with Lango Resilience Foundation, FIDRA Development Foundation, and others to execute this project.
During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the foundation focused on supporting the girl child by running programs in selected schools. Additionally, they have trained 86 dropout girls in various vocational skills.
In 2024, SOHURA Foundation renewed a program with its donor, which will run until 2028. The project aims to empower disadvantaged girls through training in skills like tailoring and soap-making. The foundation also plans to form a new group and link them with financial institutions like Equity Bank to access soft loans.
The four-year project is expected to directly benefit 1,500 individuals through shift-based training in various vocational skills. Local leaders, such as Local Council 1 chairpersons, are involved in identifying the most vulnerable youth for these programs.
One challenge faced by the foundation is managing overexpectations from the local community, which may exceed the project’s capacity.
Ojede Jigler Bobson, the Executive Director of Lango Resilience Foundation, emphasized the collaborative efforts of the cluster organizations in empowering women, particularly adolescent girls. The focus is on skills like basket weaving, bar soap making, and other detergent production.
By the end of 2028, the cluster aims to indirectly benefit approximately 40,000 people. The training centers are primarily located in Kirombe, adjacent to CHOGAM Gardens in Lira City West Division, with a sub-training area in Adyel near the children’s park.
The project prioritizes the most vulnerable youth in the Lango region. Over 1,200 individuals benefited during the COVID-19 pandemic, and an additional 6,000 direct beneficiaries are expected, along with a larger number of indirect beneficiaries.
