While the smell of freshly baked vanilla cookies rises from the oven, Ezra Balugu explains the  bakery students at the Margherita Training Institute in Kasese how to obtain that perfect cookie crunch. Ezra completed a 2-month bakery training through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) of BTC’s Support to Skilling Uganda project. “I learned so much and want to transfer my skills to other young people of my community.”

Coming from a family of 13 children, Erza started baking chapatti by the side of the road to raise money for school fees. When he learned about the bakery training at the Margherita Training Institute he immediately applied. “I learned how to bake wedding cakes, cinnamon buns, pizzas and much more!”  After completing his training, the institute asked him to help out during classes as an assistant-trainer.

Classes are given by Joshua Manday, an experienced chef who worked in renowned kitchens all over Uganda. “When I moved back to Kasese, the Margherita Training Institute asked me to work as a part-time trainer. I like it because it allows me to pass on my knowledge.” Thanks to the Skills Development Fund the Margherita Training institute was able to hire Joshua part-time, hereby guaranteeing a constant flow of hands-on expertise to the trainees.

But there’s more: in order to graduate, each trainee needs to complete a one-month internship at a hotel. This work-based learning is also facilitated by the SDF. Ezra adds “I did my internship at the Sandton Hotel in Kasese, where I baked cookies, bread and samosas. Now I know what it’s like working in a hotel kitchen.” Additionally, trainees receive entrepreneurship trainings during which they learn to set up a business plan and keep financial records. 20 year-old Hanisha Kezabu finished her training and has plans for the future: “I want to start a small pizza restaurant with pizza delivery, preferably together with some of my fellow graduates.”

Kisole Nason, director of the Margherita Training Institute, adds that the SDF improved the Institute’s infrastructure: “It came like a blessing. Before we used to mix dough with our hands because we did not have mixers. We dug holes in the ground to keep water fresh but now we have a freezer and fridge. We could not even teach baking because we did not have an oven. But that is all resolved.“ Because the quality of trainings has improved, graduates are now in high demand on the labor market. If that isn’t the icing on the cake…

The Skills Development Fund in Albertine-Rwenzori aims at sustainably improving the quality of technical and vocational trainings through public-private partnerships, in order to enhance  the youth’s employability.