Building a Future With His Own Hands

Okello David dropped out of secondary school at 17 when his family could no longer afford fees. For two years, he did casual labor — loading trucks, digging gardens, washing cars — earning just enough to eat. "I had no plan and no hope," David remembers. "Every day was the same."

In 2023, David enrolled in Acme Foundation's Youth Empowerment program after hearing about it through a community radio broadcast. The six-month program combined vocational skills training (David chose welding), financial literacy, life skills, and ongoing mentorship from a successful local entrepreneur.

"The training changed how I think about money and about myself," says David. "Before, I spent whatever I earned the same day. They taught me to save, to plan, to think about customers and quality."

After completing the program, David received a starter toolkit — a welding machine, protective gear, and basic materials — along with three months of business coaching. He set up a small workshop in Jinja town and began taking orders for gates, window frames, and agricultural implements.

Two years later, David employs two assistants and earns enough to support his family, pay his younger siblings' school fees, and save for expansion. In 2025, he was invited to serve as a peer mentor in the next Youth Empowerment cohort — teaching the same skills that transformed his own life.

"When I see these young people come in with no confidence, I remember how I felt," David says. "I tell them: your situation is not permanent. You can change it. I am the proof."

Impact by the Numbers

Since 2011, our Youth Empowerment program has enrolled over 5,400 young people. 78% complete the full six-month cycle. Among graduates, 65% report increased income within 12 months, and the business survival rate at 18 months is 72%.