At 21, Derrick Okello felt his options running out in Kireka. Having dropped out of school due to lack of tuition fees, he spent his days taking odd, unpredictable casual labor jobs around local transport hubs. With youth unemployment high, many of his peers shifted toward crime or substance abuse. Derrick wanted a different path, but without technical skills or a formal certificate, doors remained firmly shut. His trajectory shifted when he encountered a youth mobilization drive by the KBN Helping Hands and Wellness Foundation. Derrick was selected to join the intensive KBN Youth Skilling Program, designed to equip vulnerable young adults with practical, market driven trades, mentorship and business acumen.
Derrick chose to specialize in smartphones and consumer electronics repair-a booming local sector with immediate market demand. His training under KBN deployed structured, high yield interventions.
Upon graduating from the cohort, Derrick did not leave empty-handed. KBN equipped him with a foundational toolkit containing a digital multimeter, a precision soldering station and essential diagnostic software licenses.
Today, Derrick operates a thriving, independent repair kiosk located just a short walk from the Junction Mall in Kireka. Instead of searching for casual labor, he now manages his own steady workflow, earns a consistent daily profit and has even taken on two younger boys from his old neighborhood as apprentices. “Before KBN found me, I was just drifting day-to-day with no plan, “Derrick reflected during a youth graduation event. “They didn’t just teach me how to fix a phone; they taught me how to fix my life and become someone my community can rely on.”
In Kampala’s informal settlements, thousands of ambitious young people are trapped in a cycle of under employment. They do not lack intelligence or drive-they lack the practical market-driven skills required to secure financial independence.
The Youth Skilling Program pioneered by the KBN Helping Hands and Wellness Foundation, addresses this gap directly. We transition vulnerable young adults from precarious day labor into self-reliant technicians, business owners and community leaders.
By becoming a strategic donor today, you invest in tangible toolkits, technical certifications and startup resources that transform lives
| Investment Tier | Funding impact blue print |
|---|---|
| $60 (UGX 220,000) | Funds vital for precision tool kits containing multimeters, specialised soldering stations and diagnostic software. |
| $120 (UGX 440,000) | Sponsors a student's complete entry in our technical trades training (Electronics, solar, tech or graphics) |
| $200 (UGX 740,000) | Provides business mentorship and digital literacy modules to help a graduate scale their local workmanship. |
| $400 (1,480,000) | Supplies critical seed capital grants to help graduates co found a neighbourhood repair hub |
