Preventing Violence through Employment Works in Uganda

Juakali project in Northern Uganda’s Karamoja Region has changed the lives of the youths. All group members are former cattle warriors who are now ‘disarmed’, some voluntarily and others forcefully. The group is one of the most impressive groups of beneficiaries among the UNDP-supported groups in Karamoja Region in Uganda.  

UNDP gave them a compressor for mending tires as part of enterprise recovery and development. The money they made out of mending tires was used for brick-making.  Out of brick making they bought a pickup (pictured above) with which they’ve been able to expand their business. The group has not only capitalized on the support provided by UNDP, but has also expanded into other income generating activities using their profits.  They have other additional business ideas and believe that they can be able to attract more youths to participate in a normal way of earning a living, thereby effectively abandoning cattle rustling that has fueled conflicts in Karamoja for decades.

The participants of the UNDP projects have sad stories and memories to tell. They lost most of their friends when they went for cattle raids. “We were five brothers and out of the five I am the only one alive. When I was young I remember they went out and never came back. When I asked I was told that they are in the bush taking care of livestock. When I was at the age of 13 I also joined other boys in raiding and most of them are dead. I thank UNDP for saving my life and bring peace to Karamoja through peace campaigns and income generating activities.  I hope UNDP extends the support to other youths who have no source of income. With the profit I make I am able to feed my family and take my kids to school”, said Lochap, a former cattle rustler now earning an income and living a new life.