The Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya has started cottage industries with the objective of boosting incomes for both rural and urban youth and women. These small scale industries are the best tools for fighting poverty, as well as improving practical hand skills.

Prof. Bukenya has launched various projects including crafts and beads making, chalk and soap making aimed at empowering the urban poor be self sustaining.

During his recent visit to the Indian State of Gujarat, the Vice President invited two local women from Gujarat to train rural Ugandan women in the craft making using locally available materials.

The women, Pandya Manilal and Vangela Sheetalben are training groups of women as trainers of trainers in embroidery using part of the Vice President's Kakiri home.

Another group of rural women are also engaged in beads and necklace making at the Vice President's home and have already exported their first products to the USA.

The youth are involved in making school chalk, soap production and metal work production using metal to produce simple valuable products like twisted candle stands and others.

It is through these initiatives that Prof. Bukenya has declared his home as a Vocational and Demonstration Training Centre without walls which is going to be a prototype for the rest of the communities in Uganda.

Professor Bukenya says that such projects if perfected can help fight poverty among the women and youth and will help to reduce the unemployment levels in Uganda.

The Vice President is therefore calling upon all hearted people to support this new campaign because poverty can be fought and won through concerted efforts by all stakeholders.