Greater Nebbi Youth Mobilize Shs1 Billion for Entrepreneurship, Shifting from Handouts to Wealth Creation

In a significant move to combat unemployment and poverty, youth leaders in the Greater Nebbi region have initiated a campaign to foster a more entrepreneurial spirit among young people. The drive, launched by the Greater Nebbi Youth Development Forum, specifically targets over 10,000 unemployed youth across Nebbi, Zombo, and Pakwach districts.

The core message is clear: reliance on government handouts and the pursuit of scarce formal employment opportunities are inadequate strategies for economic transformation. Instead, organizers emphasize that entrepreneurship and collective investment offer the most direct route to financial independence and wealth creation.

Emilio Odongo, a lead activist for the initiative, highlighted the pitfalls of passively waiting for jobs. “If we keep depending on handouts, poverty will keep depending on us,” he stated at an inception meeting. “But if you start small today, wealth will start growing tomorrow.”

The forum has established four key objectives: providing funding for youth business concepts, generating employment opportunities, offering an incubation program for new ventures, and securing government support for successful youth-led enterprises. The initiative is enrolling members aged 18 to 45, aiming for broad community participation.

To achieve its financial goals, the campaign plans to raise Shs1 billion through membership registration fees. This pooled capital will function as a revolving fund, exclusively for supporting members’ business ventures. “We are not asking for donations,” Odongo clarified. “Every youth who registers will own a share. This money will fund your dreams, not ours.”

While acknowledging past failures of government-funded youth programs due to mismanagement and lack of accountability, organizers are confident this model, built on ownership and discipline, can succeed. The initiative seeks to instill a sense of responsibility and collective ownership, aiming to become a sustainable model for youth empowerment in the region.