General
Mastercard Foundation’s job creation initiative will provide valuable opportunities for Ugandan youth and help them build a brighter future
By Carol Kasujja Adii
By 2030, 4.3 million young people in Uganda will have access to dignified and fulfilling employment, with 70 per cent of these opportunities aimed at young women. Through the Young Africa Works Strategy in Uganda, the Mastercard Foundation and its partners will offer financial and business development support to youth-led enterprises in both urban and rural areas.
During the Young Africa Works Dialogue 2025 event at the Kampala Serena Hotel, Mr. Adrian Bukenya, the Country Director of Mastercard Foundation-Uganda, emphasized that the Foundation is focusing on agri-food systems, entrepreneurship and workforce development to ensure that young people can establish sustainable livelihoods.
“Over the past five years, Young Africa Works in Uganda has made significant strides, engaging over 3.8 million young individuals in gaining skills and accessing finance to start or grow their businesses. Of these, 1.3 million have successfully transitioned into work by securing employment, launching businesses, or expanding their economic opportunities,” Mr. Bukenya stated. He further noted that supporting young individuals, who constitute 78% of the population, will enhance their livelihoods and contribute to economic growth.
“We are ensuring that all young Ugandans, regardless of their background, can engage in and benefit from economic opportunities. Together, we can unlock Uganda’s full potential by empowering its youth to lead, innovate, and thrive,” remarked Mr. Bukenya.
The dialogue united young entrepreneurs, policymakers, private sector leaders, and development partners to discuss how entrepreneurship can be a viable pathway to sustainable livelihoods. It also sought to understand what is effective and what is not to enable more young Ugandans to transition into dignified and fulfilling work.
In his address, Mr Godfrey Byamukama, the Assistant Commissioner of Privatization and Investment at the Ministry of Finance, representing the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary and the Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Ramathan Ggoobi, expressed gratitude for the Mastercard Foundation’s model of promoting youth enterprises, stating that it effectively addresses the main challenges faced by Ugandan entrepreneurs.
He highlighted challenges such as access to finance, which is primarily hindered by the informal nature of many businesses. He urged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of the financing options the Government of Uganda provided, particularly the various wealth-creation funds. According to Mr. Byamukama, the Mastercard Foundation’s programmes align with government objectives.
“We are encouraging youth to register their businesses with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to ensure their businesses are protected and to enhance their credibility,” Mr. Byamukama revealed. Entrepreneurial support has been a key pillar of the Mastercard Foundation’s work. It has assisted young individuals like Moses Eteku, an alumnus of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, in scaling their businesses and improving their livelihoods.
“I thank the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University for the entrepreneurial support, mentorship, and market linkages to grow Kauntabook, a financial record-keeping application for SMEs,” Moses Eteku, team lead at Shamos Solutions, stated during the Young Africa Works Dialogue. Eteku is self-employed and passionate about technology and impacting the community by creating easy and sustainable solutions using new technological trends. As Uganda continues its journey towards inclusive and sustainable growth, the Mastercard Foundation remains committed to unlocking the potential of its young people, ensuring they are at the forefront of the country’s transformation.
Youth Statistics
According to 2021 World Bank data, Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with 78 per cent of its citizens under 30. The country is also home to over 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers, the majority of whom are young people. For Uganda’s youth, access to education, skills, and economic opportunities is crucial for securing dignified and fulfilling work.
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
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