LIRA, Uganda – The Director of Hope Alive Welding and Metal Fabrication Vocational Center, located in Lira City, has opened a life-changing initiative to skill primarily disadvantaged youth in the Lango sub-region.
Established in 2016 with 23 vocational students, the center is situated in Juba Road Cell, Lpito Aweno Lpito Gweno Ward, Lira City West Division, Lira City.
In an interview with The Ankole Times newspaper, Okello Denis, the center’s director, shared his vision of training hundreds of disadvantaged youth in and outside the Lango sub-region to become self-employed and combat poverty and unemployment.
A former orphan who dropped out of school due to financial constraints, Okello’s personal journey inspired him to create a space where young people could acquire valuable skills.
The center offers welding, metal fabrication, and other courses, with training periods ranging from six months to a year. It primarily targets out-of-school youth, street children, and orphans.
Okello encouraged the youth to become job creators rather than job seekers, emphasizing the importance of technology and creativity in today’s world. He urged them to focus on skill development instead of unproductive activities like gambling.
The center faces challenges such as a lack of startup tools for graduates and the high cost of equipment, with a full set costing around 2 million shillings.
Despite these challenges, Okello’s success story is inspiring. He has a comfortable home and is able to provide quality education for his three children.
For more information, please contact the Director of Hope Alive Welding and Metal Fabrication at +256 777 806 714.
