Sustainable Futures: Over 300 Kikuube, Hoima residents gain vocational skills from CNOOC Uganda initiative

By George Niyonzima

Over three hundred community members in Kikuube and Hoima districts, affected by the Kingfisher Oil Development Area activities, have been equipped with valuable vocational skills and startup kits, offering them a pathway to sustainable livelihoods.

The initiative, spearheaded by CNOOC Uganda Limited, the operator of the Kingfisher oil development area located in Buhuka Kyangwali Sub-County, Kikuube district, saw beneficiaries receive certificates last evening at Bugoma Primary School in Kyangwali sub-county, Kikuube District, marking the completion of a four-month intensive training program.

These beneficiaries, residing in areas impacted by the Kingfisher feeder pipeline connecting Buhuka in Kikuube to Kabaale in Hoima District, as well as those living near the ongoing oil and gas operations at Kingfisher, are now poised for self-employment or securing jobs in diverse trades.

Eric Daniel Jumba, CNOOC Uganda Limited’s National Content Manager, revealed that while 527 individuals underwent the rigorous training, 350 successfully passed the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) exams, qualifying them for their respective trades.

The comprehensive program covered a wide array of trades crucial for local economies, including fashion design and tailoring, bricklaying, welding, electrical installations and maintenance, motorcycle and automotive repairs, driving, as well as hairdressing and cosmetology.

Notably, women constituted a majority of the trainees, with the program also extending support to some school dropouts not directly affected by the oil activities.

Jumba emphasized the strategic intent behind the vocational skills development program. “We are working in Buhuka, Kyangwali sub-county, and we recognized that not everyone would secure direct employment in the oil and gas sector,” Jumba stated. “We didn’t want to leave anyone behind, so we introduced a program that would help them gain skills for self-employment or securing jobs.”

Ronald Katwalo, Executive Director of Karon Relief Foundation, the organization that conducted the training, underscored the broader societal impact. “For a community to truly grow, there is a fundamental need to uplift vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the youth,” Katwalo explained.

Beyond certification, CNOOC Uganda Limited further bolstered the beneficiaries’ prospects by providing them with essential startup kits, enabling them to immediately apply their newfound skills and establish their own enterprises.

The beneficiaries expressed their profound gratitude towards CNOOC Uganda Limited, highlighting the program as a vital step towards economic independence and improved livelihoods within the communities impacted by oil and gas development.