27 March 2012
Uganda’s fertile land and climate provides an excellent environment to develop self-sustainability through agricultural and livestock farming. On the journey to continued peace and restoration in northern Uganda, Watoto is practical on the ground with sustainable projects like the development of a technical and agricultural college.
Following the civil war that lasted more than 20 years, there’s an urgent technical and vocational skills need for many former child soldiers - young adults - who have missed the opportunity to receive formal education.
David Ochola 20 years old, is a former child soldier who came into Watoto in 2008. Together with other teenagers from Gulu, northern Uganda, David was enrolled at Watoto’s Hope Senior School in Suubi Children’s Village. In December 2011, he graduated from the vocational school.
"I want to become an engineer. I need not to think for myself alone. I need to think about other people also. What I need to do is to create jobs for people who didn't have time to go to school... I see skilled men and ladies and we're going to develop our country," he says.
Watoto's Technical and Agricultural College will focus on farming and other technical skills like Carpentry & Masonry. This project will also provide an opportunity to enhance existing and new vocational training programmes by affording employment for Watoto students and the rest of the community that has born the brunt of senseless civil war instigated by Joseph Kony and the LRA.
Land has already been purchased in northern Uganda and plans to set up the technical and agricultural college are underway.
To find out more about Watoto on the ground in Gulu, watch Restore Gulu. To partner, please email sustainability@watoto.com.
