Celebrating Kyusa Heroes & Changed Lives

Dear Kyusa partners & friends,

As we wind down the year 2014 and the first year of our operation, we are in gratitude for how far Kyusa has come and continues to grow as well as flourish in the quality of services that are being offered. On behalf of Kyusa, we would like to thank you for your generous contributions and support. Your enduring commitment and precious investment to build and nurture change agents in Uganda is genuinely appreciated. 

As we reflect upon the past months, we are proud of the progress that Kyusa has made towards achieving its vision and mission. Here are some of the Milestones:

·         On the 6th March 2014, the team leader of Kyusa ; Noeline Kirabo was honored with the Dewey Winburn Community Service Award in recognition of the vision and mission of Kyusa and the impact that it is seeking to accomplish.

·         At the beginning of May 2014, Kyusa officially opened up its offices to the general public. Kyusa has been operating in Kalerwe for the last eight months.

·         On 19^th May 2014, Kyusa received its certificate of registration and incorporation as an NGO in Uganda thus legalized to operate as a legal entity.

·         On the 18th June 2014, the Kyusa pilot project was officially rolled out with eleven participants who committed to work through the pilot project.

·         28^th September 2014, marked the climax of the pilot as ten participants were able to successfully graduate from the Kyusa program. At the time of graduation 80% were already employed or had started their ventures.

·         On 17th September, Kyusa rolled out its second intake for 2014. We took on a much smaller class of five because many applicants were limited by the tuition requirements and two were able to successfully graduate from the program.

·         Kyusa launched an ongoing fundraising campaign to raise a team of 50 Kyusa heroes who will commit to giving a minimum of 50,000 shillings ($20) on a monthly basis for a period of at least one year. We have so far met 10% of the target and still pressing on.

Some of the impact we have accomplished this year includes:

Ø  We have trained 15 out of school youth this year and 12 have successfully graduated from the program.

Ø  100% of all the alumni are either employed or are running their ventures.

Ø  40% of alumni are employed in different companies while the remaining 70% have started and continue to grow their ventures.

Ø  Alumni have so far started 8 sustainable business ventures and three social enterprises. This is a result of them identifying their passions and being equipped with skills through Kyusa to turn them into sustainable careers.

Ø  Each alumni earns an average monthly income of 100,000 shillings ($50) according to the alumni report

Ø  40% of alumni are providing employment opportunities for 15 fellow youth through their business ventures and 12 volunteer placements to youth who would otherwise be idle and probably more prone to criminal activities.

Ø  One alumnus is currently supporting a young sibling through school by paying his tuition thus working towards stopping the cycle of school dropouts in his family. This is made possible through income from his business venture.

Ø  Two of the alumni have each started social enterprises that are collectively impacting the transforming the lives of 60 vulnerable children between the ages of 6 – 19 years in their communities.

It is also our pleasure to share with you some of the success stories from 2014:

Julius Afasha- a passion driven ICT personnel with a passion for catering. His passion for cooking and managing food was often deemed unreasonable for a boy by family and friends so he silently buried his passion.  Through kyusa , Julius realized the business potential in his cooking skill and was inspired to turn his passion into a profession. He has started a food and events management service company where he currently employs eleven fellow youth and earns an average monthly income in sales of 300,000 shillings $120. Julius saves 100,000 shillings ($40) weekly as he plans to expand his business and buy his own catering equipment so he can stop hiring.

Viola Nabbagala is business entrepreneur with an eye for fashion. When her parents separated, she was forced to engage in child labor so as to raise her tuition and support her family. She was often abused by some of her employers which greatly affected her self-esteem and confidence. Through Kyusa, Viola has regained her self-confidence and esteem. She is currently the proprietor of Sweet Daddies- a snack business that supplies snacks to retailers and families in her community. She currently earns an average income of 100,000 shillings ($40) monthly and has so far saved up 100,000 shillings ($40) towards her future business plans.

Henry Kireri a social entrepreneur with a passion for children. Having been raised by a single parent, Henry was often left on his own, with minimum parental guidance or emotional support. He was unable to develop any talent to help him cope with life as a school dropout.  Through Kyusa Henry has been able to turn his burning desire to impact the lives of vulnerable children into a viable project. He is in the process of registering a community based organisation that will empower street children and other children at risk with life skills through the use of creative arts. He is currently working with 30 children through their weekly weekend program. He officially launched his organisation on 6th December 2014 through a children’s creativity gala that brought together over 100 parents and children from the community. He currently works with six volunteers. He has also started a chapatti making business where he provides employment for one young man as a way of raising his daily earning power. He also plans to start a piggery business in December 2014 as a way of raising income to support his social enterprise.

Isaac Kasibante is a splendid entrepreneur with a love for football. His childhood dream of being a footballer was shattered because his parents could not afford to buy him a football kit or pay his tuition to attend a professional football academy. Isaac through his training with Kyusa has ignited this passion, he has started K.Isaac Football Academy that seeks to empower boys from low income families with life skills through the use of football training and coaching. He is currently working with 30 vulnerable boys on a weekly basis. He is also part timing as a primary school teacher at his former primary school where he teaches mathematics and science. This supplements his income to enable him run the social venture while he works towards making it financially self sustaining.

Joan Nampijja is a proactive entrepreneur with a passion for catering. After failing to score any principal pass at high school, her mother told her she would never amount to anything and vowed not to pay any more tuition for her. As a result of her training at Kyusa, Joan has turned her cooking passion into a snacks business that currently supplies restaurants, school canteens and families in her community. Her day starts at 4 am and she currently earns an average weekly income from sales of 300,000 shillings ($120) she saves 50,000 shillings ($20) daily from her business profits. She plans to employ one person to help her with the work load at the start of 2015. Her life purpose is to equip in school youth with business creation schools youth entrepreneurship clubs. As a result of her testimony, New Hope secondary school has signed her up to train 25 students in the next school term as a pilot for her project.

All this has been made possible through your generous giving and continued support. We are grateful and appreciate this far you have walked with us.

Our goal for 2015 is to empower 40 out of school youth in urban slums to turn their passion into sustainable careers through four training cycles of ten participants each. We need your help to be able to make this a reality. We here by invite you to be part of this great movement by becoming a Kyusa hero. A hero is a person who commits to giving a minimum of 50,000 shilling ($20) on a monthly basis for at least one year. This enables us to offer this program free of charge to one participant who may not be able to afford to subsidized tuition fees. Your generous gift will go a long way in changing not just lives but generations of Ugandan youth.

Wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season, May 2015 be a blessed and fruitful year for you.

Many blessings from the Kyusa family

Call for January 2015 applications and Limited scholarships are still available

Harnessing Untapped Potential

We all live with untapped potential- perhaps because we’re not aware of it, like the late-career changer who finally figures out they’re passionate about teaching- or perhaps because our community has encouraged us to focus elsewhere, like the investment banker who is an incredible pianist.

How much better would the world be if we could harness all that untapped potential? How much happier would each individual be?

The answer is we don’t know, it’s hard, maybe impossible, to have a quantitative answer. But we do know that the world would be better and we would be happier. That teacher might be the reason one student becomes the scientist who figures out how to reverse climate change. That investment banker, if she spent her time playing the piano, might become a virtuoso player and composer, giving joy and inspiration to all who hear her play.

At Kyusa, we believe that the solutions to the hardest, most intractable world problems can be solved by harnessing this untapped potential. And we believe the key to tapping into potential is passion.

It has been referred to as intrinsic motivation, or being in a flow state, but we call it passion. Your passion is the fuel that keeps you running when everything else in you gives way. It allows you to work harder and more creatively at a task. Your passion opens the spigot to your potential. That is why we specialize in passion-driven education at Kyusa.

Isaac K. came to Kyusa because he couldn’t afford to continue his education. He was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life but he knew he needed a job. When he first came to Kyusa, he was keen on becoming a business entrepreneur.  Deep down he knew had a passion for football and a desire to nurture young people, but it didn’t seem to him to be a valid career interest.

Today, Isaac is the founder and head coach at K. Isaac Football Academy in Nabweru and a science teacher at a primary school. Through our three month training program, Isaac identified his passion, verbalized it into a purpose statement, set goals for himself, identified the skills and resources he would need to be successful, and created a plan to achieve his dream that took into account his financial needs. He is happier and more satisfied with his life than he thought he would ever be.

Through the academy and the school, Isaac is working with 30 young people, empowering them, nurturing them, and teaching them. That is the true power of Kyusa: a multiplier effect led by our alumni like Isaac, and Henry (who has started a social enterprise that benefits 30 vulnerable children), and Julius (who started a catering company that has created six jobs), and Sharon (who is currently employed as an office assistant in one of the clearing and forwarding agencies in Kampala). Each one of our alumni is leveraging their passion to develop a career (3 months after the program our alums are making 50% more income than before the program) and make a difference in their communities.

Uganda, like all countries, suffers from a myriad of difficult challenges- unemployment, illiteracy, violence against women, and the list goes on. Through passion-driven education like our training program we can solve these. Thanks to the natural diversity of interests we have, we can be sure that someone will be passionate about addressing each of these challenges. And because they’re passionate, they will put their most productive and creative selves towards it.

At Kyusa we empower out of school youth in urban slums to turn their passion into a sustainable career. We are building a movement that uses passion-driven education to create a generation of change makers. Join us!

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A Passionate Pursuit of Vision

Doreen Nabakka, is a 20 year self-driven farming entrepreneur from Entebbe- Uganda . She has a passion for music and her life mission is to inspire the young generation to live productive lives by equipping them with relevant skills. She has a calm personality that projects unwavering commitment, resilience and focus. She believes that the key to being a successful entrepreneur is to have a clear and well defined vision for your life and your business that guides your day to day decisions.

Doreen had so many dreams while growing up. She aspired to be a business woman, a musician, a social worker, children worker, dancer, chef and tour guide. But in 2011, she was forced to drop out of school due to lack of tuition. With each passing day, her dream moved further out of her reach. Her light grew darker every day and she resolved to do whatever she could to survive and make ends meet. Fortunately her sister introduced her to the hair plaiting and styling business which kept her going for a while. A couple of months ago, her half-brother who happens to be a former participant introduced her to Kyusa and she signed up for the second intake.

Through her studies at Kyusa, Doreen has rediscovered her dream and has developed strategies to fulfill it. She has learnt that entrepreneurship is all about vision and passion. In learning about how to turn her passion into a profession, her life has opened up to endless business possibilities and opportunities that she had never anticipated. She says; “I envision setting up an organisation in the near future that will help the young generation acquire skills on how to do business and how to live productive lives based on purpose, courage and joy”. Just like any other successful entrepreneur, Doreen is passionately pursuing her vision.

Doreen, unlike many other school drop outs, has identified her life purpose and is living a meaningful life. She is no longer going through the motions of survival but building a legacy that will change her generation and make the world a better place.

Kyusa empowers out of school youth in the urban slums to turn their passions into professions by exploring the use of ICT tools and the development of employable as well as entrepreneurship skills. This is done through a twelve weeks program where participants undergo a rigorous training regime that equips them to successfully launch into the labor market. We invite you to be part of this drive to ‘Raise Generations of Change Agents’ by either recommending a young person for the program or becoming a Kyusa hero (financial partner). Our next intake will be in January 2015

For further inquiries and insights please contact us: Kyusa.uganda@gmail.com

We shall be pleased to hear from you.

Thank you

Perseverance is developed not learned

Perseverance is not a skill that can be learned out of a training session or theoretical class but rather a trait developed through real life experiences. When she talks about perseverance, Joan draws from years of resilience, persistence and consistence. Joan is a 19 year old lady currently enrolled in the Kyusa program aspiring to become an entrepreneur.

Joan was raised by a single mother who had to fend for them as a family. She was charged with the responsibility of catering for all their basic needs. One of the major challenges was paying school fees in time. She was constantly on the list of people sent back home for being unable to pay school fees in time. Her friends came to associate her with the ‘fees defaulters list’, something that she soon grew to embrace. This routine affected her academic performance because often times would be forced to miss school for close to a full month while waiting for the mother to raise her school fees before going back to school. This not only affected her but also her siblings.

Even in the midst of these hardships, Joan developed a resolve to never give up or settle for less. She purposed to keep her head up and to keep pressing on. She took the initiative to copy notes from her classmates and to engage in group discussions so as to catch up. Her esteem was slightly affected but her dignity remained unwavering. It is with this same attitude that she now approaches her entrepreneurship career.

Joan believes that perseverance is an outstanding quality that every entrepreneur should possess. In her class presentation on the subject of; ‘Perseverance as a characteristic of an entrepreneur’, she said- “Not everyone can persevere. Perseverance moves hand in hand with inner drive. An entrepreneur is someone who is capable of persevering in all aspects of business and has the potential to initiate and drive others towards a common goal”.

Every entrepreneur will go through trying times as s/he establishes their business. The times can come in form of making losses, bad business decisions, theft, damages, over production among others. Such moments can be molding moments for an entrepreneur but what will keep her/him going is their attitude towards their work. An entrepreneur must have an intrinsic motivation to keep going no matter what happens. Joan says; “drive is simply the possession of the intrinsic energy to accomplish business goals even in the face of adversity. An entrepreneur must be organized and focused in their pursuit of establishing a successful business”.

Joan, unlike many young ladies that are forced to drop out of school has had the opportunity to tap into her innate potential as a launching pad for career development through the Kyusa training program. Many of the young ladies who drop out of school are forced into early marriages and some are taking jobs overseas only to find themselves forced into prostitution, according to Ugandan police.

Kyusa empowers out of school youth in the urban slums to turn their passions in professions by exploring the use of ICT tools, development of employable and entrepreneurship skills. This is done through a twelve weeks program where participants undergo a rigorous training regime that equips them to successfully launch into the labor market. We invite you to be part of this drive to ‘Raise Generations of Change Agents’ by either recommending a young person for the program or becoming a Kyusa hero (financial partner).

For further inquiries and insights please contact us: Kyusa.uganda@gmail.com

We shall be pleased to hear from you.

Kyusa Pilot Comes To a Successful Climax

In June 2014, Kyusa rolled out its pilot project with eleven out of school youth. The project was piloted in one of the urban slums of Kampala. The eleven embarked on a twelve weeks journey to be empowered on how to turn their passions into professions. Unfortunately one of the participants was unable to work through the entire program because he had conflicting schedules with some other commitments.

We are happy to report that through the use of free online courses, mentoring, skills development and entrepreneurship training, Kyusa turned participants’ mindset of hopelessness into determination and confidence. Kyusa’s pilot class graduated on September 27th. As a result of the program, 80% of the participants are either employed or have started their own venture.

During the training, facilitators teach a research-based curriculum composed of 12 modules that develop professional skills, computer skills, and financial literacy while also improving their self-awareness, self-confidence and self-management. In the afternoons of the first month, students complete a basic computer skills training so that in the remaining afternoons they are able to successfully complete an online course on the topic of their choice.

In order to graduate from the program, students must complete the online course as well as hand in an assignment for each of the twelve modules. Assignments help the participants continue to define their interests and plans- for example, a personal SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis or a life plan- as well as set them up for success when looking to start a venture or for employment- for example, a CV or a business plan.

We expect that within 6 months of graduating from the program at least 80% of participants will be earning an income of 100,000 shillings on average per month this goal is based on the performance of the pilot class, where 60% of participants were earning an income of at least 75,000 shillings before their graduation ceremony.

Right Foundations Are Important In Business Development

"Have you ever wondered what you would do with ten thousand shillings?", was the opening remark for the Kyusa business development training module. Participants came up with several business ideas that they could start with as little as ten thousand shillings while two totally had no idea besides being amazed at the fact that some one could start a business with ten thousand shillings. It is interesting the answers that came up. We were able to see that business is not a monster that only the people with muscle can conquer but it is all about putting what you have to use. It is a matter of focused and creative thinking. The other question is “now that you have all these ideas what are you going to do?”

In one of the participants words, “I am so grateful to Kyusa because for me I never knew I could do business but now I see that it is possible”. One of the points that the facilitator stressed is Goal setting and meeting targets in business. It is a very common practice for small business owners to work without setting daily or weekly targets. A person wakes up and just goes to work whether or not he sells, it makes no difference. The participants were admonished by stressing the fact that targets help you push yourself to work and achieve. Its important to set goals and work towards achieving them for success.

The first step to getting a business off the ground is getting started. Many people have brilliant and viable business ideas but they are only ideas until someone puts it into practice. Any successful business person will tell you that the key to succeeding in business is getting started and keeping at it until you reach a break even point. Research has shown that a lot of businesses do not make it past their first year and this can be attributed to poor planning and management systems.

In starting up a business, there are key issues that need attention. One of them is Management. Under this is Job Descriptions, Terms of Pay, Purchasing Procedures, List of Equipment(Assets) and  the second key issue is Marketing. Marketing has to do with being able to define your service or product. One of the things that came up under marketing is Risk Management. This is an issue that is highly neglected until the problem occurs. This provoked a discussion among the participants about different case studies and scenarios that could risk different businesses which included everyday examples like oil burning, an electric shock and the like. How prepared are you when such things happen?

The planning for any successful venture must focus its greatest efforts on laying the right foundation. Just like it is in building, so it is in business planning. When you take the time to lay the right foundation for your business, you can guarantee its success both in the short and long term. More than having a brilliant idea, you must put in place the right management systems to ensure the smooth running of the business more so in the initial stages. More importantly, your passion and commitment is what will keep you going during the low and dark moments of your business growth. For every valley, remember that there is a mountain top that awaits you.

Professional Etiquette

By Racheal Kizza

Business professionals are expected to understand etiquette and professional protocol, and while the standards have changed over the past century, there are still many rules of common professional manners. You can have the resume and the degree, but if you don't have the manners, you probably don't get the job. Your academic knowledge and skills may be spectacular, but do you have the social skills needed to be successful in the workplace? Good professional etiquette indicates to potential employers that you are a mature, responsible adult who can aptly represent their company. Not knowing proper etiquette could damage your image, prevent you from getting a job and jeopardize personal and business relationships.

Etiquette is the proper mode of conduct or procedure within a certain social realm. Being aware of certain conventions will give you a professional and attractive look. And though practicing good etiquette alone won't get you up the business ladder, it certainly will give you a boost. Professional etiquette is based on the expectation of respectful, cultured behavior, including courteous manners, appropriate image, and appropriate communications.

People’s backgrounds, cultures, religions determine whether they will take on a certain form of etiquette.  It is rude to talk loudly on the phone even if it’s a taxi or office space but how many of us catch ourselves doing it on a daily basis? It is rude to talk while having food in the mouth, but people do it always. How many of us catch ourselves using office printers to print and photocopy their own documents and not office documents? All this is to be considered under professional etiquette and there is need for people to constantly evaluate themselves so they readjust where necessary.

Etiquette is acceptable conduct in a given setting or society. There is universal etiquette which applies to all people regardless of color, race, tribe or nationality for example honest, respect, accountability, loyalty, et cetera.

Introductions are popular but how many follow the three basic rules; a smile, handshake and eye contact. Good social skills include having a firm handshake, smiling, making eye contact and closing the meeting with a handshake. Many a times when people are being introduced they fail at one of the basic rules hence failing at professional etiquette. It is a general rule as introductions are being made, the lesser authority is introduced to the greater authority and if the lesser authority is seated he/ she should stand up. Make sure to look people in the eyes and smile in order to seem confident and approachable. If you are seated while being introduced to someone, stand to greet that person and shake his or her hand. Have a firm handshake, but avoid death grips. If you are given a name tag, put it high on your right shoulder; that way, while you shake hands, people can follow the line of your arm straight up to your name without having to scan your chest.

Observation and paying attention to detail is part of etiquette for this helps when it comes to respecting other people’s cultural and religious values. For example in India, handshakes are not popular but a nod of the head is used when being introduced. This will cause a problem if the person being introduced to   the Indian doesn't know the culture. Knowledge is power and there   is know grace in being ignorant. In the end respect is built .In an open place environment or work place, respecting people’s beliefs, culture and religion are important. Case in point respecting office space, furniture, fellow employees.

There is a saying, ‘Image is everything’, and in order to fit in a certain environment you need to dress and act like the people in that environment. Though I would caution the ladies to keep the makeup minimal, should not reveal too much when it comes to dress code since less is classy. For the gentle men; the hair should be neat and well kept  the belt should match with the shoes and also they should keep to darker shades of suits.

Just one etiquette blunder could cost you your dream job! To build good relationships with customers and clients, employers want their employees to have good business etiquette skills. In today's competitive job market, employers are very choosy in who they hire. To keep pace with the competition, you need to avoid making any etiquette errors.

Professional etiquette is associated with business competence because it enhances the ability to connect positively and develop rapport with people-very important for business success. If you don't understand and exhibit expected etiquette, employers are likely to assume you are not professionally competent. They won't want you working with their clients or customers or representing them or their organizations. You could be seen as a liability who could cost them business. Peace and tranquility is bred when there is respect for professional etiquette which builds a harmonious environment.

Building Strong Networks and Partnerships

As human beings we have been created with a need to relate and work with other people. Human beings are communal beings. I heard someone say; “alone is not good for you”. People do all kinds of crazy things when left to themselves.

Just like in our personal lives, even in business no one is an island. We all need people in our lives so as to thrive. We partner and form collaborations with people and companies for various reasons. However the art of networking is a skill that we all must cultivate on a personal level. In order to get what we need, we must be willing to let go of what we have. This is the underlying principle of networking. Through networks we learn to share and exchange vital information, services, resources so as to build strong coalitions.

Our ability to successfully build networks and partnerships is dependent on our ability to create win-win situations. Although human nature is naturally greedy and selfish, we can choose to unlearn these patterns of thinking and living so as to embrace new paradigm shifts that are relevant for the 21^st century citizen.

Successful networking is all about building intimate sincere relationships based on mutual generosity not duplicity and is based on the realization that each of us can’t achieve their career goals on their own. You have to network your way to success. Networking can make a huge difference if you focus on being useful and building mutually beneficial relationships rather than networking for personal gain.

Transparency among partners is the basis for a solid and honest relationship. This principle cuts across and relationship that involves human beings be it personal or business. Trust will often times supersede the legal confinements of the business environment. When we trust someone, we easily go the extra mile. There is a huge sense of security that comes with knowing that someone has your back covered. Before we build networks and partnerships, we ought to work at winning people’s trust and confidence.

Your level of commitment to do a partnership will determine how much good you get out of it. To successfully build strong healthy partnerships, you must be willing to readily respond appropriately and in a timely manner to varied needs. It is only wise to weigh the cost before you commit. It is more expensive to break a commitment than to turn down an offer. It not only breaks the trust between the parties, it ruins future opportunities and stains your reputation.

Like any other business, successful networking begins with thorough preparation. Set time aside to practice and perfect your elevator and investor pitch. Remember you are not trying to sell your product with your pitch; you are trying to sell your credibility as a person. Your personal brand is an authentic way of communicating who you are and what you are all about so invest in it.

Know Your audience, Pin their Interests

By Racheal Kizza

We all know good writing when we see it, and we cringe when we see terrible writing.

Effective business writing skills can help you win that million dollar contract, earn a promotion, resolve a dispute, or generate a significant increase in new business leads. Poor business writing, on the other hand, can never be undone; it can cause you to lose business to your competition and could even cost you your job.

Professional writing is the use of clear language to convey information in a way that is easily understood by the intended audience; the audience in this case could be a group of people or person.  The audience in any form of writing is crucial because it enables the writer know who they are writing to and what style of writing to use.

Before you write a word of copy, make sure you know who your target audience is and what specific result you want to achieve. Take a few minutes to visualize yourself in the shoes of the recipient and to imagine what this person’s world is like.  What does his typical day look like? What are his unique needs, goals, and challenges? What problem is keeping him up at night? The more thought and research you invest in defining your target audience and how you can help them, the more powerful your written communications will become.

There are three kinds of audiences: primary, secondary and intermediate .Primary audiences are people who make decisions on the basis of the document. Secondary audiences are people who will be affected by the actions the primary audiences are going to take in response to the document. Intermediate audiences are responsible for evaluating the document and passing it on to the right people.

There are false assumptions made regarding audiences for example that the person who will first read or edit the document is the audience, audience is a group of specialists in their field, audience is familiar with the subject of the document, and audience has time to read and also has a strong interest in the subject of the document. The writers must do away with these assumptions and write something that people can readily understand. As they write, there is need to edit and also ask for a professional opinion.

Even if you are writing a marketing communications piece that will be read by several thousand potential readers, make your writing as inviting and personal as possible. Write as though you are having a conversation with one specific person—your ideal customer. Keep this one person in mind and you will positively engage thousands of readers who will feel that you are writing directly to them!

Punctuation too in any form of writing is crucial because not only does it add meaning to statements but also it must be used appropriately. Don’t rely on on-screen editing. Print out your document and read it aloud. If you encounter any awkwardness in speech you need to rewrite your piece to make it more conversational and to flow better. By reading your document aloud, you will also be able to spot typos and errors that your computer spelling and grammar check program might not have detected, for example, “echo friendly” when you really meant “eco friendly.”

Therefore basic professional writing skills must be learned by all people so that one is not good at speaking and an amateur at writing .  These are skills  which can be learnt and there is always room to add on a particular skill.

Why "Pursuing Your Dream" Is Still Important

In deciding what you want to do with your life, or what you want to do next with your life, there are only three questions to ask yourself: WHAT, WHERE, and HOW.

1. WHAT do you most love to do?

2. WHERE would you most love to do it? and

3. HOW do you name such jobs, and how do you find such jobs?

That word Love is important. You want to look for your passions (what you'd most love to do), rather than just your competencies (what you can do).Oh, some "experts" will claim that it's hard enough to find any work during this long slow financial recovery from the 2008 Recession, so this is no time to be picky. Don't believe them. It's always time to be picky. Here are five reasons why:

1. In this imperfect world, odds are you'll only find part—not all—of what you're looking for, at least in the beginning. So if you aim for all of your dream, and at first find only half of your target, good news: you've found 50% of your dream job, right off. On the other hand if, out of fear, or the desire "to be realistic", from the beginning you aim for only half of your dream, and end up with half of that, you've found only 25% of your dream.

2. If your job-hunt drags on, as is the case more often since the 2008 Recession, you need something that will keep you at it! Pursuing what you'd most love to do will give you the determination to keep on going with your job-hunt or career-change, even during rough patches. "If I get this, or even something close to this, it will all be worth it."

3. If your job-hunt drags on, you need to replenish your energy along the way. Pursuing what you'd most love to do will give you the energy to keep on going, even during rough patches. (Notice, in other situations, when you're talking to a loved one, and you get on some topic you're enthusiastic about, how your energy level rises. You feel renewed. So, here.)

4. You need another way to find organizations than just waiting for them to announce a vacancy. If you first identify what you'd love most to do, it's relatively easy then to identify and research places that might have such jobs. And you can then approach them through your contacts, before they ever announce their next vacancy.

5. Once you get a job interview at places of your choice, you need to stand out from the other (say) nineteen people they're interviewing there. It is the enthusiastic job-seeker rather than the one who can just do the job, that stands out in any interviewing process. If it's your whole dream you're after, you will be enthusiastic, without even trying, because you're about to get closer to your dream. Not so enthusiastic, if it's only one quarter of your dream.

The art of elevator pitching

By James Caan

Famously, the elevator pitch is that big chance you get to sell your company, product, service or even yourself in just one or two minutes.

This kind of opportunity won’t always arise - the biggest organisations in particular tend to use strict selection processes and procedures to choose their clients.

But that does not mean that the principle of the elevator pitch should be completely ignored or discarded. Thinking about how to deliver your message in an effective way that goes straight to the heart of the matter can be a very useful and rewarding exercise. Whether you’re going for a job interview or a client pitch, this can be of great value to you.

Here are a few principles to keep in mind.

Simplicity

In my experience too many pitches – whether they are ‘elevator’ style or presentations - get bogged down in overly complicated language or rely far too heavily on eye-catching graphics. There have been times when entrepreneurs pitched to me for investment and I had to stop them after a while because what they were saying wasn't making any real sense. Some investors may let them continue in this manner and then turn them down, but I always believe in giving entrepreneurs a chance to show what they can do. Therefore I tell them to cut out the unnecessary jargon and tell me things in a business-like yet simple way. You want to sound professional but there are ways to do this without boring people.

Do your research

Keeping it simple should not be an excuse for not doing your research. Even if your elevator pitch is supposed to be short and snappy, you don’t want to get caught out afterwards with a question you don’t know the answer to. Be prepared and know who you are pitching to. As well as ensuring you are ready for any questions you may be asked afterwards, this means you can tailor your pitch to suit the audience.

Sell with subtlety

Remember that whilst an elevator pitch is a tool to sell the best aspects of you or your business, it doesn't need to be aggressive or over the top. All you want to do is generate enough interest to pique their interest. Explain the essence of what you are pitching and then clearly demonstrate the differentiator. There should always be a unique selling point, or if you are going for a job interview, a clear value-add. This is basically your hook which will make or break the success of your elevator pitch.

Some people don’t really think about the concept of an elevator pitch until the opportunity comes along. But if you can set aside half an hour at some point and just think about what you would include in your elevator pitch, it can have huge benefits. If nothing else, it will allow you to take a step away and think about what sets you apart from the competition and what sort of image you want to project.

What is self management?

By Racheal Kiiza

There is a common assumption that people know themselves. This is a falsity although it is very important for people to know themselves and also learn how to manage themselves. Therefore self management helps people embark on a self discovery journey.

Self management in lay man’s language is the ability to be in charge of one’s life. The art of knowing who you are; you’re strengths and weaknesses, your emotional self and the goals you have set.

The aim of self management is for people to better understand themselves through the use of SWOT analysis and setting SMART goals. SWOT stands for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. SMART is a mnemonic acronym, giving criteria to guide us in the setting of objectives. SMART in full: Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Realistic and Time bound.

SWOT analysis enables people to assess and evaluate themselves genuinely and also capitalize on their strengths once identified; which helps them fight off inner criticism. Inner criticism is basically watering yourself down or belittling yourself.  As humans we crave affirmation and this erases the foundation for inner criticism.  People need to be nice to themselves, believe in themselves, their dreams and reward themselves.

African Traditional Society puts emphasis on togetherness and ignores the individuality aspect which in the self management segment falls under ‘ME TIME’. The essence of ‘ME TIME’   is to carry out a self analysis, self evaluation and awareness.  The  tables turn from people to an individual and some of the questions asked are : what goals have been  achieved,  what value have I added to myself, what weakness do I need to improve?, among others questions  with a personal touch .The Rotary clubs have a very interesting motto” service above self “ which  emphasizes social responsibility.  As much as ‘ME TIME’ is a priority, social responsibility must not be forsaken.

In life people go through challenges but resilience is the attitude to wear, for life possesses valleys, mountains, hills, rivers which all pose as threats. A resilient person possesses optimism which is having hope that something pleasant is going to happen.

Kyusa participants were given a series of exercises and tasks which helped them to gain a deeper understanding of the topic and how they can practically apply these principles to their personal lives. It was an eye opener and an enriching experience that challenged and inspired them to aim at being the best that they can be in every aspect of their lives.

Youth Employ-ability and Entrepreneurship Training

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Youth Employability and Entrepreneurship Training

Application deadline:             15th August 2014

Program Duration:                3 months

Program commences:            5th September

Kyusa is a registered NGO that focuses on empowering youth to reach their full potential through talent development, mentoring, apprenticeship and skills training. Kyusa is a non denominational organisation and offers its services both to men and women who meet the required criteria for enrollment.

Our mission is to offer learning approach that ensure every young person finds a path to their educational and career goals in a way that recognizes their strengths and values. This we do by seeking and providing the best available options to enable each person succeed and be proactive.

The program targets school dropouts and other youth who have a desire to develop sustainable careers through self paced learning and coaching. The twelve weeks program will equip participants with employable skills, entrepreneurship skills, ICT skills, exposure to career mentoring, apprenticeship and a platform to prototype their business initiatives and ideas. 

By the end of the program, participants will be able to;

• Launch out into their own businesses
• Pitch before investors
• Meet employability requirements for the labour market
• Continue developing their careers through lifelong learners
• Use ICT tools for work and employment purposes

Requirements for applicants:

• Between 16 - 25 years
• Minimum of secondary education
• Able to effectively communicate in English
• Applicants should also be highly motivated, team minded and able to work interdependently.
• Able to commit to a three months non residential program

Fees & Scholarships:

The program has been subsidized to a fee of 200,000/= (Ush) per applicant for the entire program payable in installments. This fee covers the training cost and training materials as well as a certificate at the end of the program. Participants will have to cater for their own transport and meals during the course of the program.

The program offers five scholarships to the most outstanding applicants who meet the criteria but are unable to raise the required fees. To apply for a scholarship, you must fill in a scholarship application form after being admitted into the program.

Application procedure:

Applicants must send us an expression of interest at connect.kyusa@gmail.com and should include;

• why they would like to apply for the program
• how the program will benefit them
• their bio data

This information will be reviewed and if approved, you will be sent an application form and the payment procedures.

For further information, please contact us at:

connect.kyusa@gmail.com

kyusa.uganda@gmail.com

Mob: +256 712 877208