In response to our CPAR Uganda Ltd call for young adults in Uganda to apply to be among the first cohort of our programme “Mentoring Young Adults into Innovators against Poverty”, we received a total of 47 applications. The applications were from 19 women – 40 percent of the applicants; and from 28 men – 60 percent of the applicants. One application from a 44 year old man was invalid, because he is five years older than the upper age limit of 39.

The original plan was for CPAR Uganda to mentor a first cohort of 25 young adults (13 women and 12 men). However, realistically, on the basis of availability of funds and the quality of applications that we have received, our target is now a first cohort of 20 young adults (10 women and 10 men). It should be noted, however, that gender will not override competence and it is feasible that our first cohort may not be gender balanced.

The first selection round has been done by Mr. Stan Burkey, a volunteer advisor to CPAR Uganda. Mr. Burkey is the author of the book “People First – A Guide to Self-Reliant Participatory Rural Development.” He is also credited for developing and introducing the “Change Agent Training Programme” in Uganda in 1986; a programme through which the capacity of thousands of Ugandan rural men and women has been built.  

Of the 19 women applicants, 15 of them have gone through to the next round; a 79 percent success rate among women applicants. Of the 28 men who applied, however, only 10 have gone through to the next round; a 36 percent success rate among the men applicants. The next selection round, one-on-one telephone interviews, will be conducted this week, beginning 9^th December 2019, by Ms. Norah Owaraga, Programme Team Leader and our Managing Director.

The highest formal education level attained by the majority of applicants, 37 percent of them, is a University Degree; followed by 20 percent of applicants who have attained Diplomas; and 26 percent of applicants who have attained Certificates. The remaining 17 percent of the applicants are university students. The fields of study of the applicants are mostly in the social sciences and the humanities. Only one applicant studied medicine and surgery; and another one studied animal health and production.

Majority of the applicants, 65 percent, are of Lango ancestry and this is not a surprise, since our programme is domiciled in Lira Municipality, which is in Lango. The next largest ancestral group among the applicants, 13 percent of them, are Iteso. Then the next largest, 6.5 percent of the applicants, are Acholi and another 6.5 percent are Baganda. The remaining nine percent of the applicants are Jonam, Basoga, Kumam and Alur.

The applicants originate from 23 districts of Uganda including: from Pakwach and Zombo in West Nile; from Agago, Gulu and Kitgum in Acholi; from Alebtong, Amolatar, Apac, Kole, Kwania, Lira, Otuke and Oyam in Lango; from Amuria, Bukedea, Kumi, Ngora and Soroti in Teso; from Kaberamaido in Kumam; from Iganga in Busoga and from Kyotera, Luwero and Wakiso in Buganda.

In terms of their residence, however, expectedly, the majority of the applicants, 67 percent, are resident in Lira District. The others are resident in Kwania (Lango); Zombo (West Nile); Kitgum (Acholi); Kumi and Soroti (Teso); and Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso (Buganda).

CPAR Uganda’s strategic geographic focus is the five sub-regions of greater northern Uganda: West Nile, Acholi, Lango, Teso and Karamoja. We received applications from four of our five focus sub-regions. There were no applications from Karamoja.