Oxfam and partners funded a project dubbed ‘Enhancing youth livelihood for social transformation’. Our reporter spoke with Nabuka Joshua one of the beneficiaries of this project.
Nabuka explains how his life has been transformed as a result of the youth project, how his proficiency in Information and Computer Technology (ICT) as a means of economic growth has grown and how his connection with Oxfam and partners has given him the urge to help his fellow youths.
Please introduce yourself?
My name is Nabuka Joshua; I am 24 years old and a Student at Makerere University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering and part time in software developing. I am a very hard working Ugandan with a good computing background. I am good and very interested in mostly programming and content/article writing, very passionate about software and Database development, System Analysis and design and I am also devoted to my work
with self driven qualities.
Oxfam funded a project dubbed ‘Enhancing youth livelihood for social transformation’. Tell us exactly what it’s all about and how it has transformed your life?
Oxfam and partners funded a project called Enhancing youth livelihood for social transformation which I was a beneficiary and I was able to gain skills in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Entrepreneurship. The skills I gained have added great value to my life in such a way that I am now able to earn money doing online work as well as improving greatly my software development networks. I have also been able to help my fellow young people see the potential of Business Process Outsourcing to change lives for the better.
I have been able to invest some of my savings back in MMM Global charity participation program where I help out people from different parts of the country and in turn my money is refunded with an interest up to 100% bonus.
What attracted you to ICT in the first place?
My passion for technology makes it quite easy for me to do work online. The ease of getting well-paying work online attracted me to ICT as a source of income. Access to the training of Business Process Outsourcing also encourages me to use ICT as a source of income.
What are you doing now and how has it changed your life?
I completed the training with Oxfam and partners. Right now I am doing online work again under MMM Global community which is based in Russia. I work as a moderator and a charity participant.
With the moderation work, I spend 6 hours online approving advertisements of different companies and get a minimum salary of USD 97 depending on the quality of the work I have done. In turn I apply some of the investment
skills I received in entrepreneurship training and I am now investing under charity participation program in MMM Global Community.
I have also been able to help other youths to join the online platform under me to ensure continuity of the project as well as improve on the lives of my down lines.
We were able to identify a way we would reach out to other youths. We came up with an idea of designing a Youth Advisory Peer to Peer Services Application (YAPS) a web and android based application operated on the basis of Peer to Peer servicing where youths help out others by advising them on what online opportunities there is for them to engage in and with this application we can be able to reach out to as many youths as possible thus curbing unemployment rates amongst youths.
Basically the application will be a link to pass on the obtained jobs to the capable youths in the network to handle them. However, the application is still under development (we have a functional prototype).
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I would like to work so hard so as to get as many clients as possible online (Off – shore and On – shore) who are able to give me jobs of all kinds that in turn will pass on to other youths in my network who have the capabilities to the jobs as well be a mentor to other youths who have the desire to join the ICT business.
What advice do you have for youth out there looking to join the ICT field for business?
They should be committed to their dreams, do what they are passionate about, use technology to find out more about their businesses and how to improve them especially when it comes to quality of work and they should do a lot of networking to expose them to more opportunities.
Do you have any suggestions to stakeholders on how to improve youth opportunities to engage in business?
I would advise that policy makers and other stakeholders should work with organizations such as YIYA Foundation that offer BPO trainings which will skill the youths to be able to earn money doing work online hence curbing the unemployment rates by a big margin.
I would also like to plead with the policy makers to change the education system of this country and offer an education system that offers practical and relevant applicable skills right from a young age to adulthood.