The contribution of the presidential initiative for skilling a girl child on women’s economic empowerment in Kampala District, Uganda

Abstract

Skilling young women can empower them economically and also contribute to gender equality and alleviation of poverty. This study examined the contribution of the Presidential Initiative for Skilling a Girl Child program (PISGC) on the economic empowerment of female beneficiaries in Kampala district. Specifically, the study assessed the effect of PISGC on the welfare (wealth, happiness and fortunes) of female beneficiaries, explored the effect of PISGC on beneficiaries’ occupations and jobs creation, analyzed the effect of PISGC on beneficiaries access, ownership and control of financial resources and assessed the effect of PISGC on beneficiaries agency, or ability to make decisions and act on their own choices. The study employed a cross-sectional design and utilized a mixed methods approach, comprising of a survey of 98 beneficiaries or graduates (using a questionnaire), 3 focused group discussions (FGDs, each with 10 participants), and 13 key informant interviews (KIIs). The study mainly focused on three PISGC study centers in Kibuli, Kikoni and Kigowa, which are located in three divisions in Kampala namely; Makindye, Kawempe and Nakawa. The findings indicate that more than 80% of the respondents had vast knowledge on PISGC and other similar programs that empowers a girl child in Uganda. The factors that inspired respondents to enroll for PISGC were; need to learn practical based skills (17.3%) to help them create own jobs or acquire employment, low formal education which had rendered them jobless and idle for some time due to high competition from other graduates (17%), no money to join other institutions of learning yet PISGC was free of charge (15.2%). Regarding the effect of PISGC on beneficiaries’ welfare, for instance; (1) in terms of health; 38.8% claimed to have been empowered on the benefits of living healthy, and were able to personally fund their medical bills and had the ability to make decisions on which kind of treatments were fit for them. (2) In terms of happiness; most (46%) beneficiaries stated that they were no longer stressed as PISGC program had given them a lifetime skills and experience which had revived their dreams. (3) In terms of general welfare; many (14%) acknowledged that PISGC had paved their way to have productive connections and had been empowered to be independent i.e. in terms of meeting bills like rent, medical and school fees but many had also earned respect from community members who thought that they were failures in life. With regard to beneficiaries’ occupation, it was found out that 37.8% beneficiaries had been empowered with skills that enabled them to create their own business which had also created employment for others while 21% had secured stable employment after training. About 24% had created jobs for others, 1% were earning a living out of training others using the skills they had acquired. While 2% reported to have been promoted after advancing in their skills. Among these, had also been empowered with management and decision making skills, but many had also learned the benefits of creating time for resting on their welfare. Regarding access, ownership and control of resources, the study found out that about 9.2% of the beneficiaries had purchased properties such as plots of land or other properties or had constructed houses and they had control over their own properties. The study also revealed that the program had also enhanced beneficiaries’ ability to make decisions especially using the incomes they get, for instance, many (32%) able to pay their own medical bills, shopping or school fees for someone or using their incomes to procure house-helps to help them with house related chores including child care when they are away doing their professional work. The study revealed that though PISGC has had enormous impact on the welfare of the beneficiaries - more than 80% of them got empowered with the ability to do things they couldn’t do before the training, the program has some shortcomings which included; hardships in accessing respondents who were decentralized across the district, bureaucracy in getting the consents and busy schedules of respondents. The study recommends that PISGC needs to be rolled out across the country, abolish the restrictive age limit of 18-30 year olds in order to accommodate more women and girls, and the government should create job opportunities for PISGC graduates in terms of internships placement in government institutions, setting up factories for them or creating and funding SACCOs for PISGC graduates to enable them to borrow loans at lower interest rates.