Beaming smiles and applause marked the visit of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative Elsie Attafuah and Dorothy Kisaka, the Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), to the St. Balikuddembe Market in Kampala.
The two leaders were on a tour to witness the success of transformative projects supported by the collaboration between UNDP and KCCA.
The first stop of the tour was the KCCA Employment Services Bureau (ESB) on Ssezibwa Road, where Attafuah, was received by Kisaka on Wednesday morning.
UNDP has been recognized for its contribution to enhancing the capacity of youth employment hubs like ESB and Kabalagala Youth Center through the Digitalization, Innovation, and Smart Cities (DISC) program.
The ESB was renovated and equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including computers, cameras, photography, and multimedia studios, to empower young people in urban and slum communities with vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
Attafuah expressed gratitude for the partnership, emphasizing UNDP’s commitment to enhancing the capacity of employment hubs and skilling the youth for decent jobs.
“We aim to equip young people in urban and slum communities with vocational skills and connect them to job opportunities. The future is digital, and through refurbishment and technical enhancement, we can bridge the gap and bring prosperity,” said Attafuah.
She emphasized the importance of digital tools and highlighted the need to connect various ICT spaces, including one in Nakawa and Makerere, to harness the opportunities presented by the digital future.
KCCA Executive Director, Kisaka, praised UNDP’s support, stating, “UNDP is our great partner, and together we will continue to innovate and expand programs in these spaces.”
“Elsie is a miracle lady, and the impact is evident in the success stories emerging from the youth beneficiaries.”
The beneficiaries of the youth hubs shared their success stories, with Diana Namakula, a beauty and nail technician graduate, expressing gratitude for the skills and materials provided.
Rahma Nakigenda, a digital technology learner, shared how she learned graphic design and now earns a living, thanking UNDP for the skills provided.
St Balikuddembe Market
The tour continued to Owino Market, where Attafuah commended the government of Uganda and President Museveni for their leadership. She emphasized the role of trade in a country’s development and called for the digitization of Owino Market to enable online transactions.
Attafuah announced the next target to finalize cold storage facilities for perishables to support export initiatives.
Dorothy Kisaka thanked Elsie for her support in transforming Owino Market, highlighting the improvements in infrastructure, paving the market, lighting and provision of cold storage.
She acknowledged UNDP’s investment of UGX 1.17 billion in the market, benefitting over 20,000 vendors.
The celebration concluded with both leaders expressing their commitment to ongoing partnerships and the development of Kampala as a Smart City.
The collaborative efforts between KCCA and UNDP show cased a model for sustainable urban development and empowerment of local communities.
