VPlus at GDPU – ETC of PWD

Disability, GDPU, Gulu, Vocational Training

Announcing Vplusplus @ GDPU

Vplusplus is coming.

Although the VPlus programme has ended, support and skills training for those 113 young trainees with disabilities in Gulu and surrounding districts does not stop. With funding from private individuals and ETC of PWD trustees, Vplusplus @GDPU has just begun. This is so that Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) can give long term Post Training support to all graduates. The first steps have been carried out: Reflection Meetings and trips to the field; to liaise with them all, What will help them succeed in the future? What will get them, their families and their community to a sustainable life?

Out To The Field

Formal support trips have begun too, visiting all those graduates in their places of work, or not work as the case maybe. And to discuss with each person what training might help them – core skills perhaps– the latest hairstyles for hairdressers, how to mend the different motorbikes in your area; different techniques for sweater weavers etc. Inevitably literacy and numeracy – book keeping/ invoicing that sort of thing.

Innovation

The new areas brought in for Vplusplus include training members of the family to temporarily produce your goods when your disability prevents you from working yourself. Also, peer support: creating local networks with other people with disabilities banding together for practical and moral support, particularly useful for sweater weavers, for example, whose work is seasonal and intensive when the demand comes.

The Vital Role for the Guidance Counsellor

Vplusplus field visits also allow the Guidance Counsellor to give support, encouragement, to identify and follow up Safeguarding incidents. Sadly, abuse is, a constant factor in the lives of these graduates. Sometimes that abuse comes from members of the family, sometimes from colleagues at work; often it comes from both. The solutions involve discussion, advocacy, alerting the relevant authorities where necessary, finding safe refuge, medical aid and more; changing the mindset, as the team puts it, is a very slow process

New location for Rubanga Mamiyo Knitting group in Nwoya,

The first monthly report from the Vplusplus team in Gulu:

What went well?
We linked up with our beneficiaries in Gulu, Omoro and Nwoya
The Knitting group in Nwoya can afford to shift to a better house, along the main road to Anaka Town Council.
Diversification of work witnessed during the follow up visit: many members are doing side business to support their main skills.
Well facilitated to conduct the activities.
Able to identify skills and gaps that exist among the youth.
We managed to identify some key safeguarding issues.

What challenges did you have?
We faced challenges of mobilisation: some students are not at home; others take so long in the garden, they are still not at home.
Some parents are not supporting their children.
Some students are not employed or starting their own business.
Some students are failing to pay back the revolving capital.
Sometimes you get disappointed seeing a student not engaged in work.
Long distances and sitting on the bike for long period of time.
Bad weather keeps you too long in the field waiting for the rain to stop.

Lessons learnt and recommendations for future trainings:
Students do better when they work in a group.

We were impressed that the team in Nyowa are doing so well, because they have a strong team spirit. They are always willing to support one another, physically, financially and emotionally.

Those who have mobile phone are doing quite well; they get in touch with their friends for more business connection and networking.

Where trainees are earning some money, their lives are improving and they are being valued by their parents and relatives.

If you would like to know more about the ETC of PWD charity please go to our Home page and please keep in touch via Project News.

If you would like to give something, please go to our Donate page.

If you would like to know more about Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) please go to their Facebook page.

Many Thanks.

Disability, GDPU, UK Aid, Vocational Training

VPlus: the story so far

VPlus was the shorter name for the Enhancing the Capacity of Young Persons with Disability through Vocational and Literacy Education and Training project, delivered by Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) and jointly funded by the Enhancing the Capacity of Persons with Disability charity (ETC of PWD) and UK Aid Direct. UK Aid funding has now finished.

VPlus Cohort 1 Graduation Day Graduates with the GDPU Chair: Allii Geoffrey

Who was VPlus for?

VPlus was targeted at young persons with disabilities in Northern Uganda, many of whom have received little or no formal education. They enrolled on a six-month vocational training course at the GDPU training centre combined with all-important ‘Plus’ elements of training in literacy, numeracy, financial literacy, and cultural and community activity which build confidence and self- esteem.

Post Training Support

The six-month training is followed by long-term support to graduates in establishing and sustaining businesses or employment. In 2021 and 2022 113 young persons with disability graduated from two training cohorts and, in 2023 are working on establishing a business or finding a job to earn income.

Aroma Elvis and his mother being supported on skill gaps

VPlus: some figures
•         119 recruited to the two cohorts (53 Cohort 1; 66 Cohort 2) and 115 graduated/passed their exams (49;66). Of these, one carried onto further training and one, sadly died. So GDPU, supported 113 trainees. (64F, 49M; all bar one with disabilities; 89 aged 15 to 24 years and 24 aged 25 to 32; all from Gulu.)
•         In addition, the project trained 32 GDPU staff and workplace providers in safeguarding and, for GDPU staff, sign language.
•         Cumulatively, 114 trainees (100%) are showing that they have improved their confidence and self-esteem significantly, some more than others (65F, 49M; 113 disabled.)
•         94 graduates (44M, 50F) having increased their income by the end of the project,
•         107 graduates from both training programmes securing employment or establishing a business (62F, 45M; all bar one with disabilities; 64 aged 15 to 24, 23 aged 25 to 32.) This includes a couple of trainees who were employed within their family’s farming work but not paid a wage. The employment of 98 (58F, 40M) of these was assessed as being sustainable.

This case study probably sums up the VPlus approach best:

VPlus@GDPU 2023 Case Study 1: Akello Brenda

Akello Brenda with Musema Faruk (VPlus Programme Coordinator)

Akello Brenda is a Cohort 1 Design and Decoration VPlus graduate who has a real eye for colour and design. She returned to GDPU to help teach Cohort 2 trainees and their new instructor in basket weaving. (The previous instructor decided to move on and a new instructor with different skills was employed.)

Brenda’s Dream

Akello Brenda used to make her products at home, supported with the cost of materials by her mother, where she also helped in other work of her family. She takes her products to the big, local market once a month where they sell well. However, it is some way to travel, and the market days were occasionally rained off. Brenda dreamt of finding a unit in the trading centre on the main road, as well as learning how to make more complicated jewelry.

How the Revolving Loan Scheme Helped

In 2022 she was supported with a revolving capital loan of about UGX 150,000/= (about £35.00) from the VPlus @ GDPU project. Interest is not charged on loans from this fund and there are no strings attached to it, in order to help VPlus beneficiaries consolidate, enhance and grow the business they have started.

Brenda Realises Her Dream

With support from her parents, Brenda gained new skills in tailoring by enrolling in the Emmanuel School of Fashion where she studied on weekends. She graduated in August 2022, and managed to buy a sewing machine for UGX 350,000/= (about £75.00) from her savings. She found a shared space to make and sell her products in the centre of Loyo Boo, Unyama Sub-county, Gulu District. She always displays her products for tailoring and decoration in front of her shop, Brenda also goes to every Sunday market day to sell her products. She earns an average of UGX 25,000/= (about £6.00) in a week.

The ‘Plus’ Element

Brenda enjoyed the non-vocational elements of the VPlus programme as well, especially the traditional dance in which she excelled and which gave her the confidence to develop her own business.

Akello Brenda and VPlus Cohort 1 at their Graduation Day

Challenges and the future for Brenda

Brenda’s Sickle Cell Anaemia is an issue, a hidden impairment, which has greatly affected her business because of frequent admissions to hospital.
High market competition especially from traders who have started hawking their wares from house to house, diminishing the incentive customers to come to shop based traders.
Lack of materials for basket weaving which are sometimes out of stock in Gulu as these materials are brought from Congo.

VPlus and the future

What next? Is it all over for training and support for these determined young people? Not at all. Please see the next blog for news about Vplusplus @GDPU and exciting news about another new programme: VIVA@GDPU.

Want to know more?

A Support Session for VPlus graduates at GDPU

If you would like to know more about the ETC of PWD charity please go to our Home page.

If you would like to give something, please go to our Donate page.

If you would like to know more about Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) please go to their website or Facebook page.

Many Thanks.

VPlus was match funded by UK Aid Direct and ETC of PWD

ETC of PWD is supported by its trustees and private donations

Disability, GDPU, Music Video, Vocational Training

Wan Weng Dano: We Are All Human Beings

This video was made by Musema Faruk, the Head Teacher at Gulu Disabled Persons Union and the VPlus Programme Manager. It features trainees from Cohort 2 of the programme and is introduced by the Head Boy, Watmond Emmanuel. The song was written by Odong Sunday, a Sweater Weaver from Odek Sub County. Many of the scenes are from the wonderful Graduation Day, described in a previous post.

Wan Weng Dano: a song by VPlus Cohort 2 trainees at GDPU

This is Faruk’s explanation of the song:

Title: Wan weng dano (English: we are all human beings)

“This a motivational song encouraging the disability community, especially the youth, not to pity themselves. It encourages their parents, and those who still have negative attitude towards the ability of persons with disability, to change the way they look at them and to support their children in getting education.

The song also talks about the impact of education on youth with disabilities, especially the skills training they are undergoing through the Vplus programme. They stress through the song that a skill will help them become self-employed or even employed. They encourage other youth with disabilities at home not to look at their disability as a disadvantage, but as an opportunity for diversity and development.”

Running to get the Skills Training graduation certificate

Want to Know More?

If you would like to know more about the ETC of PWD charity please go to our Home page. If you would like to give something, please go to our Donate page. If you would like to know more about Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) please go to their website or Facebook page.

Many Thanks.

*This project is match funded with UK aid from the British people’*

Covid 19, Disability, GDPU, Gulu, Vocational Training

How are things pushing on at GDPU: Instant Apprenticeship Scheme Part 1

The Ugandan Covid 19 Lockdowns in June and July 2021, shut all schools and many commercial activities. Recent announcements allowed some easing, but the situation is still unclear.

Lockdown and GDPU

Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) had to shut its doors. Training for the the VPlus programme (for youth with disabilities in Gulu and surrounding districts), stopped at the centre itself in July. Covid had challenged the programme from the start; originally due to begin in October 2020, it eventually opened in January 21. But, the ingenuity and flexibility of GDPU staff has kept training going somehow, when similar programmes have long since halted.

GDPU sign by a Design and Decoration trainee

The last Lockdown was the biggest challenge yet. The Delta variant significantly increased infection and trainees were at a tipping point; to stop now meant losing all they had learnt. Trainees were due to return from internship placements in external workshops. The last steps were to complete training at GDPU and start up businesses for six months of post training support. How could GDPU continue their upward curve? Their trainees had gained so much, but that all important self-esteem would be lost if the only option was ‘go home and sit’ as the local phrase has it. What to do?

Instant Apprenticeship

Musema Faruk, the VPlus programme coordinator, had a proposal: extending the short internships into a full apprenticeship programme. Payments to workshop owners would ensure full participation, with goals and expectations set, learning recorded and regular support visits from GDPU staff, either virtual or actual.

Electronics Repair Trainee at at his apprenticeship workshop

It was not easy to set up, but monthly reports show that his solution is working. Much praise should go to the GDPU team for getting it going under such circumstances. After placing 49 out of the original 53 students in apprenticeships, GDPU have now followed them up. 42 are still at their workshops, quite a success given the conditions; there are many challenges on the ground.

Not only that, 2 trainees have already set up on their own and are doing well, GDPU has given them aprons and overalls, they are very smart and customers appreciate that. GDPU are very proud of them and they will be good for other learners to see.

Hairdressing apprentices with a customer

Covid 19 and GDPU

We have just had the bad news that three senior GDPU staff have tested positive for Covid 19. So far they report that, apart from loss of sense of taste and smell, they are OK. But this is extremely worrying for them and of course for their families. Although the infection has been found in Gulu, trainees and staff had managed to avoid it in the past, but the Delta variant is making that impossible. The public health service barely exists and there is little in the private sector, even if anyone could afford it. Vaccines are few in Africa, the promised rollout of vaccines from the West to Africa has, of course, hardly begun. We can only send our best wishes and hopes for their safe and full recovery.

Our best wishes too, to another senior member of the GDPU staff who also recently caught Covid. She was she says, very ill and feared for her life, but managed to stay out of hospital and is now recovered. We send her and her family all our very best wishes for a full recovery as well.

The Next Newsletter

There will be more on the challenges to Instant Apprenticeship Scheme in the next ETC of PWD newsletter.

Want to know more?