About us

Home to just under a million people, the Karamoja sub-region is the poorest in Uganda, as defined by both income per capita and key human development indicators. Over 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and the sub-region has the highest levels of deprivation in the country, as defined by the UNDP Human Poverty Index. As part of the sub-regional cluster of pastoral communities in northeastern Uganda, northwestern Kenya, southeastern Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia, the region has earned an unenviable reputation for conflict, instability and “backwardness”, a term commonly cited by both Uganda citizens and Government officials to explain the persistent under-development.  

The challenge of bringing social service coverage levels to minimum standards is great. Access to education services has increased due to universal primary and secondary education in Moroto district is estimated at 24 percent compared to a national average of 85 percent and this is compounded by lack of awareness by the communities of the value of education. Education has long been contentious, viewed by many pastoral communities as a colonial or government imposition with no relevance for local populations. Hence, Primary Education attendance stands at 82 percent in Uganda – but in Karamoja, just 43 percent of school-aged children report attending class, indicating a serious concern for empowerment of communities and the region as a whole.

Karamoja is a complex developmental challenge. Accelerated and scaled up actions are needed to reduce child mortality, mitigate the impact of political and climatic shocks on women and children, and ensure that the sub-region shares equally in the Peace, Recovery and Development agenda. Empowering women is a means to achieve this goal, and the provision of relevant vocational skills has proven to be one of the most effective interventions in this regard.

Main objectives

• To annually provide at least 120 young women in Karamoja with relevant vocational and life skills for employment. 
• To bridge the gap between theoretical acquisition of knowledge and practical skills transfer.
• To support the government initiative to develop vocational schools, providing girls in the Karamoja sub-region and beyond with relevant and effective training programs.

Educational offer

MGVS will offer courses in four fields:

1. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
2. Construction and building technology
3. Hospitality management and tourism 
4. Art, Craft and Fashion

All courses will focus on providing trainees with vocational skills and life skills in order to prepare them for the labor market and/or to create their own employment, enabling them to effectively contribute to the wellbeing of their communities. 

Project management structure

Andreas Manna Foundation Uganda (AMFU) is a CBO that has been formed and registered to oversee the development of MGVS. AMFU will manage the institution in the start-up phase supported by a project management committee comprising of selected community members.

AMFU has opened a bank euro and shilling account with Centenary Bank, Moroto. This account and shall be operated by the director and founder of AMFU and records shall be kept for inspection by all. The works for the project will be awarded through a bidding process. Contractors with a reputation for good work and value for money shall be selected.