Uganda has made substantial progress in combating poverty, but extreme poverty persists in the Northern Region of Uganda due to high youth unemployment, gender inequality, lack of access to basic infrastructure and services and limited economic development. Approximately 70% of the population of the West Nile sub-region lives below the poverty line of US$1.25 per person per day. The sub-region borders the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan and is directly affected by the conflicts in Congo and Sudan. The Pakwach district in that sub-region has a population of approximately 200,000 and the Pacer Community Polytechnic is the only vocational training centre. During the period 2017-2019, the school received training equipment and tools from the Tools To Work Foundation and school management training and teacher retraining from the Education Local Expertise Centre (ELECU).

Pajobi Primary School in Pakwach is the only primary school in the district that caters for children with disabilities (physically disabled and hard of hearing), but there is no vocational training after primary school yet. In 2023 and 2024, Pacer Community Polytechnic organized special courses (in tailoring, wood and metalworking) for young people with disabilities. The lessons learned from these courses form the basis for developing an inclusive education strategy for the school.

The community of Pakwach district lives mainly from fishing on the Nile. They do not have any other trades and it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to be self-sufficient. People have lived there for 20 years under the terror of the LRA (Lord Resistance Army) and the situation has still not fully normalized. Youth unemployment in Pakwach district is high; most of the youth are unemployed. In addition, youth with disabilities suffer from stigmatization and lack of opportunities (facilities) to learn a skill. Pajobi Primary School is the only primary school that includes disabled youth in its program and has recently developed a partnership with Pacer Community Polytechnic to supplement primary education with vocational training and to give disabled youth the opportunity to become self-reliant. The pilot special courses for youth with disabilities forms the basis for the development of an inclusive education strategy for Pacer Community Polytechnic, which is important to obtain approval and financial support from the government.

Pacer Community Polytechnic is a public vocational training centre in Pakwach, established in 2002. It offers training in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical installation, concrete work, mechanics and tailoring. The school has a capacity of about 180 students. Until 2015, due to lack of tools, there were only 100 students, a problem that has now been solved.

Pajobi Primary School is a government sponsored primary school in Pakwach and offers primary education. About 50 enrolled children have various disabilities. Pacer Community Polytechnic will support Pajobi Primary School to select students for the special vocational training program. The local government (Department of Special Education) will supervise and guide this process and will assist in identifying companies for internships. ELECU is a non-governmental organisation established in 2010 and has 12 years of experience in improving the quality of education and management of various educational institutions (including Pacer Community Polytechnic). ELECU has provided training for instructors in special education and developed videos to support special education. ELECU has experience in creating awareness and encouraging parents to seize educational opportunities for their (disabled) children. ELECU will provide support in developing an “inclusive education” strategy with a multi-year work plan and budget.

With the previously received training equipment and tools for the various courses, as well as the school management training and instructor training, Pacer Community Polytechnic now accommodates approximately 180 students per year!

During the 2023 school holidays, tailoring courses were given to 37 disabled youth (from Pajobi Primary School). During the 2024 school holidays, woodworking and metalworking courses were given to 30 deaf and physically disabled youth. They made playground equipment for Pajobi Primary School during the course.

In 2025, these summer courses will be given a follow-up. Participants will receive entrepreneurship training and essential tools (starter toolkits), enabling the students to start their own business. The local availability of special courses will encourage parents of children with disabilities to send their children to school or vocational training. The local government has shown interest in the approach.  In 2025, based on lessons learned, an “inclusive education” strategy with a multi-year work plan and budget will be developed. Once approved, this will entitle the school to receive government subsidies for implementation of the multi-year workplan.

Through the involvement of parents and community members, the project will make it clear to the community that disability is not an inability. Through the testimonies of the trained deaf and physically challenged students, the community will see first-hand that it is possible for them to be self-reliant. With this newly gained awareness, parents and community members will be more inclined to support the disabled children and youth by sending them to the Polytechnic and acquiring the skills needed to become self-reliant and self-sufficient. The instructors who have been involved in the previous training programs for children with different disabilities will remain with the school, thus retaining experience and ensuring quality and continuity of the special education.

The “inclusive education” strategy and multi-year work plan will be instrumental in obtaining government subsidies, thus ensuring financial sustainability of the special education for disabled and hearing-impaired youth.

For the tailoring course for young people with disabilities, €4,700 was made available in 2023; for the woodworking and metalworking courses for young people with disabilities, €3,700 was made available in 2024.

In 2025 the following activities are planned: (i) entrepreneurship training (cost estimate UGX 2 million); (ii) provision of starter toolkits (UGX 10.5 million); (iii) guidance and support in starting up businesses (UGX 1 million); (iv) conducting an “inclusive education” workshop (UGX 2 million); and (v) preparation of an “inclusive education strategy and work plan” (UGX 1 million). The entire program would cost UGX 16.5 million. Pacer Community Polytechnic and ELECU will jointly contribute UGX 2 million and the Van Doorn Foundation wants to contribute the remaining UGX 14.5 million which is about €3,800.