When did Phase Three start?

Enhancing the Capacity at Gulu Disabled Persons Union (ETC@GDPU) Phase Three started after the trustees visit in February 2019 and was projected to last until the beginning of 2020.

Market demands in town and in village are different. Trustee trips out to Paicho and Koch Li to the Motorcycle Repair Groups, subsequent journeys to Hairdressing and Sweater Weaving Groups in Acet made clear that their needs are different to those based in Gulu itself. Visits to groups and individuals in Gulu bore out this view.

The subsequent ETC of PWD meeting with the GDPU board confirmed the need for rural and urban specific core skills training. We also agreed the need for further training in Literacy and Numeracy and Business Skills to help trainees get on; to succeed with these enhanced vocational skills.

We all therefore decided that Phase Three should not take on new groups as at Phase Two. Phase Three should concentrate on strengthening the groups and individuals we have already been working with.

Future Phase Three training:

Literacy: Low literacy and numeracy skills are an important element holding groups and individuals back.  As the business skills teacher always comments in his monthly feedback reports, low literacy means low retention of knowledge and difficulties in learning anything new.

Business Skills:

Despite training and support, few have working record books/ records to help analyse success and aid planning. Groups and individuals need to understand how and why to invest in their own businesses (and how to search for other forms of funding) if they are to develop and reach their sustainable aim.

Core Skills:

• MCRM: Future skills training for motor cycle repair and maintenance groups in Paicho and Koch Li should include: training in small motors eg: slashing machines; generators; milling machines etc.
• Hairdressers: in Acet need to know the latest ‘in-town’ styles and how to make them.
• Sweater Weavers: in Acet and Gulu need to learn to diversify, for instance into baby clothes and individual sweaters.
• Phone Repair: individuals and groups are more of a problem. As feature phones develop into something more sophisticated, the skills and hardware need by the trainee musts develop also. But they have neither the situation nor the investment needed to achieve such ambitions; more work here.

Project Officer:

We also discussed the probable departure during Phase Three of Musema Faruk the existing ETC@GDPU Project Officer, for training with Kanthari, and the need train up a suitable replacement in the demands of the project.