22 year-old Prossy Kyalimpa is a proud graduate of Agribusiness Management and Rural Development from Vare University in Sheema District.

Just a week after her graduation, she heard about the Work Readiness Programme (WRP) from a friend who sent her a link. She spent almost the whole day filling out the application form. Four days later, she received an email from Ankole Coffee Producers’ Cooperative Union (ACPCU) inviting her for an interview. Soon after, she got a call from ACPCU requesting her to pick up her appointment letter.

“I thank PSFU and Enabel for granting us an opportunity to work because it is very difficult to find a job in Uganda as a recent graduate,” she says.

She was deployed to Kyangundu Cooperative Society in Sheema, where she works as a field agronomist alongside two other experts. The cooperative is large, with over 900 farmers. Her job involves inspecting coffee fields, sharing agricultural knowledge, and training farmers on mulching, trenching, pruning, and environmental conservation. She helps farmers get certified in organic, fair trade, and the Green Forest Alliance, ensuring they meet ACPCU’s standards. Her confidence has grown a lot since starting the job.

“The more I train farmers, the more I get confident,” she says. Her interactions with farmers help her gain more knowledge, making her feel stronger in her role and in life.

Reaching farmers in remote areas is often a challenge, but thanks to the safety gear provided by PSFU and Enabel, she can navigate these tough terrains. Her youth and energy also help her handle the physical demands of the job. She reports her findings to ACPCU every month, and her supervisors help confirm her work with the farmers, which builds trust. This support from supervisors reassures farmers that they are receiving quality guidance, even from young agronomists. She feels proud that she can now put her university education into real action, making a difference in the farming community.

“I would recommend this programme to recent graduates because I never thought I could get such an opportunity,” she says. “This programme is very helpful, and every recent graduate should enroll in it because it does not look at experience, which employers usually ask for, yet one can’t have experience before working.” Her story shows how the Work Readiness Programme can open doors for young graduates, turning their education into meaningful work.