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More than three hundred residents from Kikuube and Hoima districts, affected by activities in the Kingfisher Oil Development Area, have received vocational training and startup kits to support long-term, sustainable livelihoods.
The empowerment initiative, led by CNOOC Uganda Limited—the operator of the Kingfisher project in Buhuka, Kyangwali Sub-County—culminated last evening with the award of certificates at Bugoma Primary School. This marked the end of a four-month intensive skills program.
Beneficiaries included community members living along the Kingfisher feeder pipeline route from Buhuka in Kikuube to Kabaale in Hoima, as well as those residing near active oil and gas operations. With their training complete, participants are now equipped to start their own enterprises or seek employment in various trades.
According to Eric Daniel Jumba, National Content Manager at CNOOC Uganda Limited, 527 trainees enrolled in the program, with 350 successfully passing the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) examinations.
The training covered a broad range of economically essential skills, including tailoring and fashion design, bricklaying, welding, electrical installation and maintenance, motorcycle and vehicle repair, driving, and hairdressing and cosmetology. Women made up the majority of the participants, and the program also supported several school dropouts who were not directly affected by oil project activities.
Jumba stressed the program’s purpose: “We understood that not everyone could secure direct employment in the oil and gas sector. We wanted to ensure no one was left behind, so we created a pathway for community members to gain practical skills for self-employment or future job opportunities.”
Ronald Katwalo, Executive Director of Karon Relief Foundation—the organization responsible for delivering the training—highlighted its broader impact, noting that true community development requires uplifting vulnerable groups such as women and youth.
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In addition to certification, CNOOC Uganda Limited strengthened participants’ prospects by supplying startup kits, enabling them to immediately apply their skills and launch income-generating activities. Beneficiaries expressed deep appreciation for the program, viewing it as an important step toward economic independence and improved livelihoods in communities affected by oil and gas developments.
