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Returnees from Middle East given new skills, qualify in entrepreneurship training supported by the International Labour Organization, UK government and Finance Trust Bank
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Wazesha Impact has awarded certificates to 400 returned migrants who completed their entrepreneurship training.
The graduates have been undergoing business upskilling through the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Project supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), UK government and Finance Trust Bank.
The 400 graduates are returnees from the Middle East who worked there but were unable to save or did not achieve the success they had planned then returned financially constrained.
The majority of the graduates are young people who returned under difficult circumstances, including deportation. They were awarded certificates on March 28, 2025, at Nsambya Sharing Hotel.
Graduates expressed their heartfelt gratitude toward Wazesha for the initiative, describing it as a game-changer. Wezesha Impact equips youth in Africa with the skills, tools, and networks necessary for productive and fulfilling work, ensuring that all youth in Africa thrive socially and economically.
Wanyana Nives shared that the training has equipped her with valuable business skills, allowing her to earn money after facing significant setbacks while in Dubai.
“I traveled to Dubai on a visit visa, but when it expired, my attempt to renew it failed. As a result, I had to leave my waitress job and was eventually deported. During my time there, I had sent my mother UGX 3 million as savings, which was all I had left. However, I was shocked to learn that she had used the money,” she recalled.
Similarly, Mildred Mwebaza expressed deep gratitude for the project, describing it as a lifesaver. She also shared her own experience.
“I traveled to Turkey after securing a job as a kindergarten teacher, but upon arrival, I was forced into domestic work, a position I couldn’t manage. I refused the job and returned home. It affected me greatly because I didn’t achieve what I had hoped for,” she said.
In his keynote address to the graduates, Solomon Kayiwa Mugambe, the Executive Director of Wezesha Impact, highlighted that many youth who travel abroad in search of better opportunities often return home without having achieved their goals. “They come back and have to start from scratch because they either made no investments or failed to save while abroad,” he said.
“This is exactly what the project aims to address—restoring hope and helping these individuals rebuild their lives for a better future,” he added.
Andrew Mukulu, the ILO Chief Technical Advisor, encouraged the graduates to pursue entrepreneurship, noting that many are hesitant to start their own businesses due to the fear of making losses. However, he emphasized that entrepreneurship is one of the key ways to regain financial stability.
The BRMM project focuses on improving employment services and supporting the socio-economic reintegration of returned migrants through entrepreneurship training. Utilizing the ILO’s Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) programs, the project seeks to equip beneficiaries with essential business management skills, aiming for 70% to achieve sustainable livelihoods through wage or self-employment.
