By Gabriel Luryeyo
After the government announced the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, nearly 20,000 girls who were forced out of school in Acholi sub-region ended up becoming mothers at a young age. When the restrictions were eased, many of these young mothers were unable to return to school.
Ms Jane Ataro, 24, is one of them. She opted for skills training instead of going for Higher School Certificate (HSC) because she had a lot of responsibilities as a new mother. Her initial dream was to become a teacher but that did not work out.
“I sat for my UCE (Uganda Certificate of Education) in 2019. However, I could not go further with my studies since [I had] become pregnant. With a baby on the way and lack of school fees, I could not return to school.
“Becoming a mother [compelled me] to sell peanut butter in the local market to make ends meet. However, I was not making enough money. I used to earn just 10,000 Shillings a week,” she says.
This has since changed. In March 2022, Ms Ataro and other young mothers received skills training in soap making, which has improved her income. She now earns about 18,000 Shillings per day, selling between three and six bars of soap at 3,000 Shillings each.
Nancy Adokorach, 22, is another beneficiary. As a mother of a 2-year-old son, she says the skills training has rescued her from a very difficult life. “My husband is unemployed; I am the sole breadwinner. You know how hard it is to provide single handedly for your family, considering the high cost of living,” Adokorach says.
She dropped out of school in 2019 just before Covid-19 struck the country after her parents failed to raise school fees. “I thought of starting a pancake making business but I did not have capital. Then an opportunity came when the Gulu Youth Conference (GYCO) asked me and dozens of other young mothers in our village if we were willing to receive skills in liquid soap, shampoo and tie-and-die making. I embraced the [opportunity] with both hands,” she says.
Adokorach now packages liquid soap in 500ml bottles and sells it at 1,000 Shillings. On a good day, she can earn up to 40,000 shillings.
“Lack of capital is a major challenge that has made it hard for my business to grow. Otherwise I would be making much more money than what I am currently [earning]. The materials for making soap are costly,” she adds.
Adokorach dropped out of school in Senior Three at Alliance High School in Gulu City. She says her dream is to go back to school and pursue a certificate in Early Childhood Development.
Jimmy Okettayot, a vocational skills trainer, says if such young mothers are not given skills to make them productive, they would easily end up on the streets. According to Okettyot, some of them became vulnerable after being forced out of their homes by their parents.
“Covid-19 turned homes into a very hostile environment, especially for young girls in Acholi sub-region. To escape such difficult situations at home, girls were forced to start their own families. But that turned out not to be a solution to their problems. They came face-to-face with the harsh reality of life. In the end, they had to look for ways of survival after getting trapped in unplanned marriages,” Okettayot notes.
He adds that girls often bear the burden of providing for the child in situations where the couple is not together.
Ms Harriet Akello, who dropped out in P7, is another beneficiary. She said the empowerment through skills training gave her the opportunity to live a decent life.
“From making receipt books and [detergent], I can live with dignity. No one will take that away from me. I am able to provide for myself and support others too. If I had 300,000 Shillings, I could have [expanded] my business,” Akello says.
Chris Omony, the Head of Programmes at GYCO says equipping young mothers with vocational skills will not only empower them to become self-sufficient but will restore their dignity. “The only way to change the perception of society [about young mothers] is to give them skills that will make them self-sufficient. In life, self-dependence is one of the greatest assets if you are to be respected,” says Omony.
He adds that an empowered girl or woman can create positive mindset change and she can empower those around her too. GUYCO plans to support young women and girls with seed capital in the future if funding is available.
