URDT has given more than 720 toolkits to over 300 groups of men and women working as blacksmiths, carpenters, metalworkers, joiners and tailors. A survey revealed that the toolkits had increased income and improved the standard of living for 89% of the recipients.
Nyakoojo Vincent, a beneficiary, expresses his joy: "I started with a capital of 30,000 Uganda Shillings, now it has increased to 250,000 Uganda Shillings. I can afford to pay school fees for all my five children."
As we celebrate our 12th year in partnership with TFSR, we are seeking to expand the programme by setting up a tools refurbishing centre in Kagadi to strengthen the training and introduce new products for artisans in the region.
Artisan Support
The Artisan Support Programme of URDT was established in 1994 when URDT entered into a partnership with a U.K. charitable organization called Tools for Self Reliance (TFSR) to supply, coordinate and monitor tools given to artisans in mid-western Uganda
Acting as a local distributor for Tools for Self Reliance, URDT provides tools to rural youth artisans who have skills, but no capital to invest in machinery. Tools include carpentry and joinery, tailoring, blacksmith, shoe repair, tinsmith, construction, metal work and mechanics, plumbing, bicycle repair and electronic repair kits.
The TFSR-URDT partnership shares a common vision to cultivate the spirit of self-reliance and build integrated, self-generating development of rural communities and economies by integrating training, education and information sharing in development activities and using locally available resources and technologies in development.
Through this unique tools distribution partnership, URDT is contributing to the economic well-being of nearly 1,000 artisans in western Uganda. URDT helps to further build the capacity of the artisans through training in entrepreneurship, business management, customer care and the formation of trade groups or associations.