Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Maj. Rtd. Jessica Rose Alupo Epel, on Saturday officially commissioned the St. Stephen Katakwi Textiles Skills Development Centre, a landmark initiative aimed at equipping young people with practical skills to earn a living and reduce unemployment in the region.
The centre, initially founded by St. Stephen Catholic Parish Katakwi in response to the widespread lack of employable skills among local youth, was later taken over by the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) to ensure sustainability and broader impact.
During the commissioning ceremony, Vice President Alupo praised the Catholic Church for its proactive role in empowering communities through education and skills training.
She urged the leadership of St. Stephen Catholic Church to ensure that the centre remains inclusive and open to all children, regardless of their denominational background.
“I commend the Church for this initiative. It is transforming lives and giving hope to our young people,” she said.
“I also encourage you to open this centre to children from other denominations so that no one is left behind.”
Recognizing the importance of well-equipped training facilities, the Vice President directed UIRI to provide the centre with the necessary equipment, including weaving machines and hairdressing salon equipment.
She also called on the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to work with the centre to ensure that its products meet quality standards, enabling graduates to compete effectively in local and regional markets.
“This centre must produce quality products that can be sold anywhere,” she emphasized. “We want our young people to have the best skills and to be able to earn a decent living.”
Rev. Fr. Olivier Wayesu, the Parish Priest of St. Stephen Catholic Parish Katakwi, explained that the centre was born out of the urgent need to address youth unemployment in the district by providing training in fashion, design, and other practical skills.
He thanked the government, UIRI, and other partners for their continued support.
“The lack of skills among young people pushed us to start this centre,” Fr. Wayesu said.
“Now, with government support, we can reach even more youth and transform many lives.”
The centre offers training in a range of skills, including fashion and design, welding, metal fabrication, and tailoring.
According to Solomon Kiiza, UIRI’s manager for textiles, materials, and polymers, the centre will also focus on local industry promotion by producing school uniforms, sweaters, and other garments.
“Our target is to produce 15,000 garments per month,” Kiiza revealed. “This will not only create jobs for our youth but also boost the local textile industry and reduce reliance on imported products.”
The Minister for Youth and Children’s Affairs, Hon. Baalam Barugahara, praised the Catholic Church for taking the lead in addressing unemployment in Katakwi.
He donated computers to the centre to support ICT training and improve record-keeping.
“This centre is a model of how faith-based institutions and government can work together to fight youth unemployment,” Barugahara said. “With ICT training, our young people will also be prepared for the modern economy.”
In addition, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Hon. Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa, pledged government support to the centre’s physical expansion and infrastructure development.
She donated 100 bags of cement for the construction of new training workshops and promised to ensure the extension of a stable power line to the facility.
“We want to ensure that power supply is not a limitation for this centre,” Dr. Nankabirwa said. “This is an investment in the future of our children.”
The St. Stephen Katakwi Textiles Skills Development Centre has already received 40 electrical tailoring machines from UIRI, laying the foundation for large-scale production and employment creation.
The centre is expected to be a game-changer for Katakwi District by offering practical pathways out of poverty for hundreds of young people, especially girls.
Vice President Alupo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting skills development across the country, describing such initiatives as critical to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation and the realization of Vision 2040.
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