Wezesha Impact is on a mission to get young people into meaningful and productive employment. Their model blends a combination of entrepreneurship and workplace readiness experiences combined with long term mentorship and coaching. Their unique model also enables them to strategically partner with at least 65 vocational schools, further broadening their impact and reach. Wezesha Impact is redefining the future of jobs in Uganda by turning skills into capital and inspiring an entrepreneurial mindset among in-school and out-of-school youth.
- Uganda
- Vocational Training and Livelihoods
- In 2019, there was an 84% graduation rate from their program. Out of the 3,552 students enrolled, 65% were girls both in local communities and vocational schools.
- 76% of their alumni are employed or have started a business
- 84% of out-of-school youth gained job-readiness skills and reported a gained confidence in their ability to secure & sustain a job
- 10,317 youth (60% female) impacted by the organization’s programs between 2014-2020
- 2,030 students directly impacted across Uganda in 2020
- 5,400 projected youth in 2021 through their entrepreneurship education and skills training intervention programs
- Wezesha Impact believes that education systems should fit the learners rather than learners fitting the education system.
- The organization has built programs that invest in systemic change and actively empower those who don’t complete former schooling by educating youth specifically for employment and entrepreneurship.
Leadership
Co-Founders James and Solomon are the dynamic minds behind Wezesha Impact. James is a 2020 Hubert Humphrey Fellow at Vanderbilt University, an Acumen Fellow, Perennial Fellow, and a certified trainer and Master Trainer of the UN-International Labor Organization’s Start and Improve Your Business program. Solomon is an African Visionary Fellow, Perennial Fellow, and a certified trainer of the UN-ILO’s Start and Improve Your Business and GET Ahead for Women in Enterprise Programs. In 2019, Solomon was named as one of the Top 40 under 40 leaders in Uganda.
We envision a community where young people are fully engaged economically and socially. Our dedication to youth is strongly inspired by the immense possibilities that open for youth if they receive the right support. When young people thrive, our society thrives!
