Vocational training and income generating potential is what the Empowerment Program at AOET is all about. It supports children in 2 ways: Provides earning potential for guardians of orphans and vulnerable children and for older children unable to complete secondary school.
Tailoring classes are operating primarily in 2 locations currently: Lira (northern Uganda) and Bugembe (Jinja District). The courses continue for a period of one year. Every Tuesday is dedicated to supplemental business development classes, covering planning, budgeting, costing, marketing, saving, etc. AOET staff is looking at how they can assist these women to acquire relevant skills and select businesses that have a strong market where they live and operate.
AOET is providing new employment opportunities for those whose
capacity has been severely affected by HIV/AIDS.
- We have trained 729 women and widows in skills development and provided 512 with start-up implements – 60% of all that were trained subsequently found employment.
- AOET is currently providing economic empowerment to 150 families(with about 1200 children in their households) by providing start-up funds to their guardians and parents.
- In 2007 alone, AOET trained 920 people in basic computer skills(Different Windows programs, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher, …)
Some of the Skills we currently offer:
- Arts and crafts
- Tailoring
- Welding and Metal fabrication
- Carpentry
- Computers