Makerere University, through the college of Business and management studies (COBAMS), has awarded refugees with certificates following a training in entrepreneurship and management.
Approximately 265 refugees were beneficiaries from the training conducted under the special refugee empowerment project sponsored by Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (MAK-RIF) with an intent of integrating refugees into the economic development.
Dr. Anthony Tibaingana, the project principal investigator thanked the graduands for willing to acquire knowledge and urged them to use the same to change their lives and that of the world at large.
“It has been a great phenomenon to interact with the community of refugees, we have given you the knowledge and skills, we have all the trust and belief that you will use them to better your lives and the world at large,” Dr. Tibayingana said.
Professor Edward Bbaale, the Dean School of Economics, thanked the government of Uganda for allowing refugees to do business in Uganda and giving them chance to acquire education which has in return helped them to sustain themselves. Professor Bbaale urged the graduates to work together and also implored the research team to carry out more research.
“With the knowledge and skills acquired, I believe these are qualified people and different from their non-trained fellows. I would like to implore the research team even to further form new research questions and make good recommendations that will even be adopted by government,” Professor Bbaale said.
Ms Kusasira Darison, a Community services officer from the office of the Prime Minister Refugee Division promised to extend the training through the already skilled refugees to the settlements in order to support the rest.
Ms Kusasira thanked the government for its friendly foreign policies that make refugees feel at home. She told the skilled refugees that acquiring these skills is a lifetime opportunity and they should use them to integrate their livelihoods.
The refugees under their umbrella bodies of Somali Youth Action organization (SOYA), United South Sudanese refugee Community (USSARC) and the Congolese refugees in Uganda thanked government of Uganda and the East African community for welcoming Democratic Republic of Congo into the East Africa bloc.
You must be logged in to post a comment.