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Tooro Kingdom Youth Empowerment Program (TOKYEP)

Project Description

Tooro Kingdom Youth Economic  Empowerment Program (TOKYEP) is a strategic initiative in partnership with the Government of Uganda (through Office of the President) to mobilize and empower the youth of Tooro. With 78 percent of Uganda’s population under the age of 30 and youth unemployment estimated at 13.3 percent nationally, Tooro region faces both the challenge of a restless young population and the opportunity of a demographic dividend. A significant proportion of these young people are unproductive, disengaged from government programs, and vulnerable to social ills such as crime, drug abuse, and frustration that could erode confidence in both the Kingdom and the government.

Objectives

1. To provide productive opportunities for young people in Tooro through organized farming, agribusiness, financial literacy,digital skilling and entrepreneurship. 
2. To re-engage youth in constructive activities, build their skills for value addition, and increase their participation in national wealth creation campaigns such as the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and Operation Wealth Creation. 
3. To build the capacity of the Kingdom as a reliable partner in the socio-economic transformation of Uganda.

Program Components

The program will focus on three main sectors with high potential for youth involvement.

1. Coffee cultivation will be promoted by establishing nurseries and demonstration gardens in each county, distributing seedlings to farmers, and training them in best agronomic and post-harvest handling practices. 
2. Cocoa growing and  production will be supported in a similar manner, popularizing the crop among young farmers and ensuring that planting materials and knowledge are readily available.
3. Poultry farming will be expanded through county-based hatcheries to supply affordable chicks, complemented with training in poultry management and agribusiness to enable sustainable incomes. 
4. Alongside the above agricultural activities, the Kingdom Youth Centre will provide skills training in entrepreneurship, ICT, and financial literacy.
5. Awareness campaigns will be conducted to more young people to ensure that kingdom and  government programs are well understood and accessed by the people of Tooro

Key Targets

1. The program intends to support at least 50,000 youth directly engaged in agriculture and agribusiness.
2. Distribute 3 million coffee seedlings, 2 million cocoa seedlings, and 3 million chicks.
3. Train 5,000 youth in entrepreneurship, Digital skills and financial literacy. 
4. Conduct Government  initiatives Awareness campaigns targeting 500,000 young people across Tooro.
5. Establishment of 9 Tooro Kingdom Youth Economic Empowerment Incubation centres across the kingdom counties.

Expected Outcomes

1. Increased household incomes across participating youth-led households in Tooro.
2. Reduction in youth unemployment and idleness, with measurable shifts towards productive activities.
3. Improved youth participation in national wealth creation programs such as the Parish Development Model and Operation Wealth Creation.
4. Strengthened partnerships between Tooro Kingdom and the Government of Uganda in service delivery.
5. Enhanced contribution of Tooro to Uganda’s agricultural export earnings, particularly in coffee, cocoa, and poultry.
6. Reinforced trust in government and cultural institutions as partners in youth empowerment and socio-economic transformation.