Reformed Karimojong warriors receive skills

Moses Chero, 25, Moroto district in Karamoja region. The second born in a family of six children, went to Moroto High School for his O'level.

He is the only lucky child in the family who has managed to reach that level of education after being sponsored by the Embassy of Ireland right from primary school through the straight talk foundation.

He explains that because of the biting poverty in the family, which hindered everybody to go to school, he also lost hope of proceeding to A'level due to limited funds from his sponsors.

One of the girls who received the skills in tailoring demonstrate how she it is done.

This, he says, automatically gave him a green light to join cattle rustling for survival.

“We used to steal goats and sheep for roasting as food in order to survive, one time, we had gone to rustle in Katakwi in 2000 when they attacked us, it was a bad day because, we had not taken the cows very far so they identified us, beat us terribly and also took back the cows," he says.

When you rustle, you can think it is good, but the moment they get you, that’s when you regret having joined it,” he said.

He attributed the persistent rustling to poverty, saying people with cows are wealthy and cannot think of raiding, but taking care of their animals.

With Lady Luck smiling on Chero, he was identified among the boys in Moroto to undertake the skilling support project by the Ireland embassy through Enabel.

At St Daniels Camboni Polytechnic Moroto, Chero is one of the youths who was handpicked to benefit from the support of skilling Uganda project.

He was admitted to the institute for a national certificate in building construction, which has raised his hope for success in life.

“Rustling can be enjoyable if they don’t attack you, because sometimes you can lose your life, but I have realised that still if, you leave the act of raiding, the life is very good and enjoyable," he said.

Chero and other youth have abandoned rustling and opted for skilling.

John Michael Akolimo, an instructor at St Daniels Comboni Polytechnic, said his department of production is producing concrete blocks, pavers and interlocking blocks, among others.

“We introduced the production department at the institute to help the youth when they go to earn a living and help them supply their customers who are majorly hotels and government institutions," he said.

He said the youth were supported by the Ireland Embassy, through Enabel, after realising that most of the youths were hustling with rustling while others were idle.

“The organisation pays school fees and other training materials until they graduate. This year, we have 42 students who will be graduating at the end of the year," he said. 

In total, he said the students are about 133 youths benefitting from the project and come from different parts of Karamoja region.

“Apart from building and construction, some students are engaged in electrical engineering, carpentry, mechanics, tailoring and welding," he said.

Speaking during the closure of the project in Moroto on Wednesday, Akolimo explained that the empowerment of such youth has greatly reduced on raiding of animals in the region.

“Most of them go for raiding just because they don’t have what to do. That’s why we include the aspect of raiding into our training. We tell them about the disadvantages of raiding which in turn has changed the mindset of most of them," he said.

Moroto district education officer Oputa Paul lauded the Ireland embassy for supporting those children who did not access school to acquire skills.

“Many young men were redundant, but we have had a series of training for both formal and non-formal education where the young girls and boys have got skills. The gun was making them think that cattle raiding was the only way for survival because it was protecting them and their animals, “he said.

The locals he said have got a bad attitude towards education thinking it is derailing their children because they prepare them for marriage, not for education.