Navigating Life After Dropping Out of School: Daniel Tells His Story
According to the National Census and Housing Report 2024, 42.6% of Ugandan youth aged 15–24 are Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET). Furthermore, 45% of unemployed youth face barriers to finding work or starting businesses due to extreme poverty, lack of access to land, the impact of HIV/AIDS, child-headed households, and limited education and skills.
Daniel is one of many adolescents in Uganda who had to drop out of school due to poverty and the inability to pay school fees. Now 24 years old, he lives with his young family—his 21-year-old wife and their two sons, aged 3 years and 11 months.
“I dropped out of school in Senior Three because of lack of school fees. I had the desire to study up to university, but the lack of school fees didn’t allow me to go that far,” says Daniel.
Life after dropping out was difficult. Like many other youth in his community, Daniel faced limited opportunities and became less productive. Without access to productive assets or skills, and with no role models to guide him, he was left to depend on a small family garden that barely met his family’s basic needs.
Daniel is now a participant in the Pathways to Wellbeing Empowerment and Resilience for Adolescents & Youth (POWER 4 AY) project, implemented by Save the Children. The project aims to improve the wellbeing of adolescents and youth aged 12–24 most affected by inequality and discrimination in the Amuru, Nwoya, and Omoro districts of Northern Uganda.
He joined POWER 4 AY in 2022 and began participating in business and entrepreneurship skills training.
“Luck hit me when Save the Children came to our village to support youths who were struggling with unemployment. As a group, we were introduced to a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), where we take part in economic empowerment activities like group savings, small business ventures, and farming,” he explains.
Through the VSLA, Daniel and his peers are learning the value of saving—a culture that is gradually transforming young people’s lives. This shift is helping them access decent work and realize their potential as economic actors. It’s also helping them move away from harmful coping mechanisms and make more empowered life choices.
“I got UGX 60,000 from our annual share-out, which I used to start growing vegetables and selling milk to breastfeeding mothers in my community. From selling milk, I earn a daily profit of UGX 15,000. Over time, I’ve gained financial knowledge, built a savings culture, and learned to manage my money better. Before, I used to be reckless with money. Now, I can provide medical fees for my family when someone falls sick,” Daniel shares.
Daniel is one of 3,540 adolescent youth (1,770 male and 1,770 female) targeted by the POWER 4 AY project for vocational and entrepreneurship skills development in Northern Uganda. The project is transforming lives by equipping young people with life skills, raising awareness about adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and offering entrepreneurship training—including VSLA methodology, financial literacy, and business planning.
