Brief background
The Directorate of Household and Community Transformation (DHCT) is the new Directorate replacing the formerly known Planning, Development and Rehabilitation (PDR) Department. This directorate was formed in line with the New COU 10-year strategic plan 2015-2025 and it is in charge of household food and income security as well as disaster risk management and climate Justice within the Province of the Church of Uganda. Bbira Vocational Training Institute (BVTI) which is an affiliate of the DHCT, is a vocational skills training Institution targeting majorly disadvantaged and marginalized youth, with the intention of equipping them for economic empowerment and self-sustenance.
Bbira Vocational Training Institute was founded in 1992 by the then Church of Uganda-Planning, Development and Rehabilitation Department. Now Directorate of Household and Community Transformation (DHCT) It was registered as a Vocational Training School with the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) on April 25, 2005 (Centre No: ME/VOC/016). This was as a result of COU-PDR, out of its socio-economic intervention realizing that there were many youths that were disadvantaged and economically vulnerable. Such youth had neither skills nor a meaningful education. The desire to reach out to such youth and share with them God’s practical love through equipping them with skills to earn a living gave birth to Bbira Vocational Training Institute (BVTI). The Institute is a specialized and inclusive education facility that trains youths in Vocational and Technical skills, to enable them set up and manage their own enterprises, and through the successful undertaking of such income generating activities, be able to take care of their basic needs in a sustainable manner. The strategy applied was called– Learn As You Earn (LAYE).

In its infancy, the institute had most of its financial assistance from Dan Church Aid (DCA). However, this assistance came to an end in 2003 with the construction of CoU-PDR Bbira Girls’ Hostel as an endowment project to contribute to the sustainability of the Institute. Since then, the Institute’s activities have been mainly financed through its locally generated funds as well as support from its local and international partners. For the last 12 years, (Since 2007) the Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s project supported by Bread for the World-Ecumenical Scholarship Programme (BftW-ESP) is the biggest funding partner for the Institute. Were over 180 vulnerable youth (both boys and girls) acquire gainful skills in vocational, Technical Training annually and they are equipped with startup tool kits to start their own small scale enterprises at the end of their training. The graduates of the institute have transformed the communities where they come from since they are involved in projects and skills that ensure that their families have a secured income thus improving the standards of living.
The institute was built in three phases as under listed:
1. Phase I: (1992 – 1997) – Construction of school buildings and facilities and training in vocational skills.
2. Phase II: (1997 – 1999) – Improvement of facilities of VTSB, notably electricity connection among others.
3. Phase III: (2000 – 2003) – Building of CoU-PDR Bbira hostel to support the financial sustainability of the school and contribute to the management of PDR.

Future plans of the institute include provision of higher academic levels and graduating self-sustaining individuals who are able to create employment or apply the skills learnt in the world of work.

The Institute prides itself in producing unique graduates that are a very important resource to themselves, their families and communities, their country and continent and to the global community in the following ways;
• Spiritual empowerment to enhance their love for God, neighbor and country
• Gainfully, vocational and innovatively skilled
• Productively employed in personal and corporate business
• Social justice sensitive
• Environmental health conscious
We appreciate the commitment and contribution of the Church Of Uganda and the funding Partners for the initiative to extend God’s love through personal development and empowering the community by ensuring that sustainable livelihoods result through the trained youth who are the future of the nation and the world at large.
May the Lord Bless You abundantly.

Yours in Service

REV. CAN. WILLIAM ONGENG
Ag. DIRECTOR – HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION
CHURCH OF UGANDA