FUTURE FOUNDERS: DON BOSCO VTC TRAINEES SHOWCASE INNOVATION AT JA UGANDA EXHIBITION

The entrepreneurial spirit was on full display at the recent Junior Achievement Uganda (JA) End of Cycle Exhibition held at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre (VTC), Bombo on 17^th October 2025. The event culminated months of training and mentorship under the JA program and the broader Gender Matters for Green TVET initiative, supported by Austrian Development Cooperation and Jugend Eine Welt.

Seven student companies pitched their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges, demonstrating how they plan to link their technical skills to real-world solutions and entrepreneurship.

The Judging and Exhibition Process

The exhibition began with opening remarks from Job Service Officer (JSO), Mr. Egesa, who set the tone by preparing the trainees to view the activity as a critical learning opportunity. He emphasized that true success in life often comes not from being the top student in class, but from commitment and utilizing feedback.

The judging process was comprehensive:

1. Report Review: Company representatives presented their business progress reports to the judges.
2. Stall Assessment: Judges toured the display stalls to inquire about the products and assess the trainees’ marketing and exhibition skills.
3. Final Pitches: Each company was given dedicated time to present their business ideas formally to the judges and the assembled audience.

High-profile guests gracing the function included the PDO Office Program Manager for Gender Matters for Green TVET (Mr. Mutala Innocent), the School Principal, dedicated Instructors, the Guild Council, and the student body.

Vision: Linking Skills to Entrepreneurship

The event served as a powerful testament to the program’s focus on equipping young people with essential business skills.

Mr. Mutala Innocent (PDO Representative), who has attended exhibitions at other centers like Kamuli and Palabek, expressed his satisfaction with the Bombo display. Drawing on his own experience as a product of JA Uganda, he stressed that the program is fundamentally designed to help trainees in the field of work by ensuring every skill acquired is attached to business or entrepreneurship.

Mr. Wakhakunyu Geoffrey, the JA Uganda Programs Manager and Team Leader, thanked the trainees for their commitment. He echoed the sentiment that success is determined not just by program completion, but by the skills gained and used in real life. He strongly advised the trainees to continue honing their marketing skills, noting the old adage: “A bad product with a good marketer is better than a good product with a bad marketer.”

Leadership Acknowledgment and Guidance

The event provided a platform for leaders to recognize the key contributors:

• JA Team Leader acknowledged the crucial supervisory role of the instructors during the preparation and mentorship phases, emphasizing that “the success of a school program is determined by its teachers.” In particular, Mr. Mubangizi Venancio was specially thanked and awarded a T-shirt for his remarkable contribution to the JA mentorship activities.
• The Principal concluded the event by thanking Junior Achievement for shaping the future of young people by teaching them to make money. He commended the trainees for exceeding the performance of the previous year’s cohort in 2024.
• The JSO encouraged all participants, even non-winners, to use the constructive criticism to refine their business concepts and strive for future success.

Judges’ Observations and Final Results

The judging panel—comprised of Joshua, Kirabo, and Raphael—shared constructive critiques aimed at long-term business growth:

• Communication: Work on communication skills to overcome shyness.
• Practice: Keep practicing to perfect the ideas and presentation delivery.
• Market Strategy: The market will not look for them; they must actively seek out the market.
• Finance: Master the cost of production for better financial results.
• Collaboration: Seek out and collaborate with other stakeholders in their sectors.

The judges unanimously agreed that everyone who presented was a winner due to the innovation exhibited. The seven competing companies were: Grakm Enterprise, World Changer, The Gunners, Zuri Reigns, KD Water Harvester, Decoration & Designing Company, and Innovative Minds.

The top three teams were recognized for their excellence:

Winners were advised by the PDO representative to use their prize money to reinvest in and grow their promising business ideas.

This exhibition was made possible with funding from Austrian Development Cooperation and Jugend Eine Welt as part of the four-year (2023-2026) Gender Matters for Green TVET programme, implemented across five Don Bosco TVET Centres in Uganda and Rwanda.