INSPIRED

We are excited for this new month and we believe more good things are going to happen. 

Thank you so much for always  sparing time to read, comment and share our stories. You have been a great audience : we hope we can still walk this journey with you. Have a fruitful new month.

Our Stories this month will center around young men and women from all over the world that are working towards making a difference in the lives of others. 

Our first story for the month is from Nkuubi Dominic Savio, founder of Akilipana Initiative , a non profit organization in Uganda that is empowering lives with skills for sustainability. He shares with us his story.

What inspired you to start AkiliPana Initiative?

I have always been passionate about positively impacting people’s lives. The best way I could do this,  was by providing a lasting solution on how to earn an income. I have done this by sharing entrepreneurial skills through AkiliPana Initiative.                                                                                      

 I  have seen so many youths in my country that are unemployed : the skills they attained from school could not easily enable them start their own businesses. There are so many people that work and  are not paid , yet they have a lot of responsibilities.

 Through AkiliPana which I also call "broad mind". I decided to share skills in soap making, handmade crafts and so much more.

Having left university with no hopes of finding a job, I made a decision to harness the soap making and sewing skills I had acquired from my high school teacher called Phoebe.

I began my soap making project that enabled me  to cater for my transport and airtime expenses.  I  later shared the same skills with my colleagues and it worked out for them as well.

With this multiplication of skills, I saw a need to share  these skills with more people out there and help them earn something small for their homes and communities.

Tell us about the projects you have so far done and how they have impacted lives?

We have conducted several projects were we have trained women groups in different communities for example the Entuusi women Association in Kabale, Nansana and Kayunga Women group.

              Kabale Entuusi Women Association

We have shared skills in soap making, handmade crafts like wall hangings, door mats , lamp shades and  decorating bottles.

                                    

                           Lamp Shades

                                     

                         Bottle Decorating 

                     Door - mat crafts

                

 We have also been  able to visit a group of women in Kiwanga where we shared skills in glass bottle cutting.

                    Kiwanga Women Group

Through these training's,  people  have cut their household expenditure through making their own soap, some have also started making crafts as a side business to boost their income, Dominic says.

Have you faced any challenges? If yes, how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges we have faced are the high expectations of the people we share the skills with.  Majority believe that we are much established, with a very big budget which is not the case.

 At the end of the training's, they expect us to buy all the training materials and still leave with them the startup capital.

However , we have tried to solicit for the training materials from personal savings and donations from friends. From the products made during the training's , we ask the beneficiaries to market them and get some small startup capital. We are positive that with time we shall be in position to provide some startup capital to our beneficiaries.

What are some of the things that have enabled you live up to your mission up to date?

I would say  Hope, Persistence and Resilience.

As a team, we carry the belief that through sharing these skills, we shall change thousands of lives. 

We have also persisted on sharing our skills even when we have nothing to give beyond the skill.

 Resilience has guided us all the way,  even after organizing training's and they do not happen, having groups willing to take part in the training's : yet we are limited  by funds, we have kept fighting on, we have  been able to get back to our feet and we hold more training's. 

I strongly believe that with hope, persistence and resilience, we shall be able to skill the nation. 

What messages would you love to tell young people out there? 

To my fellow youths, you have the power to change your life,  by using the small resources you have you can grow big.  Do not  be afraid to start small. Just like a baby,  all the plans and ideas have to start small : then grow big with the right touch.

Have something to learn all the time, this will put you in a better position to withstand the competitive world we live in.  Utilize the internet productively, it has got all that you need. There is a lot you can teach yourself and in-turn use it for the better good of others.

And lastly I will use a Luganda saying “enviiri enzirugavu zezikorerera enjeru”. 

The meaning behind it is that your youthful years should help you prepare for your old years. Now is the time to do all you are a dreaming about.

Nkuubi Dominic Savio

Uganda