About the UYSC
The Uganda Youth Skills Center is a grassroots organization that teaches life skills to at-risk youth in rural Uganda. Our NGO was pioneered by locals who inspired by the challenges facing their community to empower future generations through education and mentorship. Our programs are designed to unlock the potential of each student through classes that consist of vocational training, group projects, arts and crafts, music, local internships, literacy and entrepreneurship. We believe that giving students the opportunity to discover their own path will not only enable them to create a successful career but will also enhance the well-being of their community as well.
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The flagship UYSC location sits just outside Bwindi National Park in the Kanungu district of southwestern Uganda. Bwindi NP is considered a UNESCO world heritage site and is also home to the endangered mountain gorillas. Travelers from around the world have the opportunity to meet our team and students when visiting the park.
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To date, our organization has worked with over 100 children and young adults in the village of Buhoma. We plan to further our impact by opening multiple youth centers around Uganda where life skills can be taught. With the knowledge and inspiration passed on to each student, our organization hopes to uplift local communities by unlocking the potential of each student we work with and showing them how to lead the next generation. We are here to break the cycle of poverty by making Uganda the home of dreamers and achievers.
OUR PROJECTS
Skills Training
Our core mission is to give the youth of Uganda skills for success. We do this by teaching different skills each day. These include arts, teamwork, cultural dances, environmental science, world history, hygiene education, disease prevention, public speaking, literacy and more.
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Since our students range from ages 6 to 18, our programs divide ages into their different level where they can learn skills based on their abilities. As they grow through the different levels of the UYSC, the projects become more intricate. Students of higher levels lead group projects with younger students and naturally learn how to become leaders and mentors. We call this The UYSC Cycle.
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Internships
The UYSC is partnered with local businesses that offer internship opportunities to our students. Each year, we allow the students over 16 to choose one of the opportunities they are passionate about. This gives each student a real-world job experience and exposes them to the different career possibilities of their future.
Volunteering
Guest speakers and teachers are given the opportunity to share their experiences with our students to open their eyes to new concepts and skills. Visiting and volunteering at the UYSC for a day (or a few!) is an amazing way to compliment a visit to Bwindi National Park by meetings local students and learning about how they live.
Community Development
One of our goals is to enrich each community that the UYSC is a part of. We do this through educating and mentoring our students until adulthood and partnering with local organizations to help make this a reality.
The members of these businesses visit our center to speak to our students about their careers and how they became successful.
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By the time each student graduates, they are already skillful in a number of areas and will have a pathway to success that will eventually enrich the their lives and the community as well.
OUR TEAM
Ben Habasa
Chief Executive Officer
General Manager
Justus Akampurira
Program Director
Ronald Ngabirano
Michael Vignapiano
Growth Strategist
Racheal Nasasira
IT Manager