Savior Anyovu, 22 years old, was a porter at local construction sites. It was not his desire. Saviour dropped out of school in senior one due to financial hardships. He found work as a porter in Obongi town. The pay was never guaranteed or standardized. But still, it was the only way he could get by. And this exposure birthed his passion for the building trade.

In 2020, Saviour learned of an opportunity for youth to enroll for Skills training in various trades. It was organized by BMZ thanks to EU Trust Fund for Africa and BMZ funding.

Savior opted to enroll for a Building and Construction course. “I noticed there was a shortage of engineers and masons in Obongi. In most cases, engineers are hired from Moyo and neighboring districts. I want to change that” Saviour remarks.

Once Saviour completed his three months skills training, he returned to his old boss with a certificate in hand. He was now eligible for formal employment as a skilled mason and was indeed offered a job and a monthly salary.

“People support me and tell me they are proud of me. There is less need to contract masons from neighboring districts.” Savior narrates. From his income, he set up a retail shop in Obongi town to supplement his work income.

Saviour still dreams of upgrading his skill and working at a commercial building site in his hometown: “I want to become a senior engineer in Obongi district”, he declares.

More on the RISE project

The EUR 20 million project is implemented by GIZ in several locations in Northern Uganda (Arua, Terego, Madi Okollo, Moyo, Obongi, Adjumani). One of its priorities is to enable greater resilience and self-reliance among both refugee and host communities by creating economic opportunities. Since 2018, the project provided new skills to 3,166 persons – such as Saviour - through the organisation of various trainings.