Hima Cement Limited, through its Tororo Grinding Station, and the Safal Uganda Baati Foundation (SUBF) have entered into a partnership to provide vocational skills training to vulnerable, out-of-school youth in Nyangole Sub-county, Tororo District.
Under the partnership, Hima Cement Limited will work with the Tororo District Local Government through Nyangole Sub-county to profile, select and prioritise 30 of the most vulnerable out-of-school young men and women for comprehensive technical training at the Safal Uganda Baati Technical Training Institute (SUBTTI).
The initiative is aimed at enhancing employability and promoting sustainable socio-economic growth in the region.
The training programme is expected to commence in late 2026 and run through 2027. Upon completion, the graduates will receive career guidance and placement support to facilitate their transition into the workforce.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
As part of its commitment to community development under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Hima Cement Limited's Tororo Grinding Station will sponsor the beneficiaries by covering tuition, scholastic materials, accommodation, meals, uniforms and the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) assessment fees.
Safal Uganda Baati Foundation will complement the initiative by providing the necessary training materials and delivering the vocational training.
"Through this partnership, Hima Cement aims to make a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged youth in Tororo District, aligning with our commitment to community development and sustainability," said Sushil Kumar Kulshrestha, General Manager of Hima Cement Limited, Tororo Grinding Station.
The nine-month training programme, which will include six weeks of industrial training and internship, will offer Modular National Certifications under TVET/UVTAB in several marketable trades, including automotive mechanics, building and concrete practice, fashion and design, cosmetology, welding and metal fabrication, and digital literacy.
The programme will also provide supplementary training in business skills and financial literacy, Kiswahili and English, and mathematics.
Beyond technical training, the curriculum will include life-skills sessions focusing on Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC). The sessions will cover areas such as confidence building, financial management and health awareness, including HIV prevention and management as well as gender-based violence.
George Mubiru, Head of the Safal Uganda Baati Foundation, welcomed the partnership, saying it would help equip disadvantaged young people with skills to improve their livelihoods and resilience.
"Our objective is to deliver high-quality, subsidised vocational education that empowers disadvantaged young people to develop resilience against social and health challenges, while equipping them with the skills necessary to thrive in the workforce. This partnership with Hima Cement Limited aligns with our mission and will amplify our efforts to enhance youth employability in Uganda, supporting the government's agenda of creating meaningful opportunities for young people," Mubiru said.
"We appreciate Hima Cement Limited's visionary approach in targeting the right beneficiaries and collaborating with us to transform the lives of vulnerable youth and their families."
The partnership comes against the backdrop of persistent challenges facing young people in Uganda's labour market.
Findings from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics' Labour Market Survey 2025 indicate that employers in formal businesses cited the non-availability of required skilled workers as one of the primary reasons more than 16,000 job vacancies remained unfilled.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The report also shows that unemployment is higher among younger people than the general working-age population, whose unemployment rate stands at 12.2% for people aged 15 and above.
At regional level, the Bukedi sub-region recorded the highest youth unemployment rates, at 37.1% among those aged 15-24 and 33.8% among those aged 18-30.
The survey further indicates that a significant proportion of Uganda's youth workforce is engaged in the informal sector, where skills availability remains a challenge.
Excluding agriculture, forestry and fishing, the informal sector accounts for 95.1% of employed youth aged 15-24 and 91.5% of those aged 18-30.
