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- TotalEnergies EP Uganda celebrates 10 years of youth inclusion and education initiatives in Uganda
- The company is committed to creating more opportunities for young people to make meaningful contributions to their communities
- The beneficiaries have made significant contributions to the development of the country by deploying their acquired skills in different sectors
The company which is operating the Tilenga oil project in western Uganda, reiterated its commitment to creating more opportunities for young people to continue making meaningful contributions to their communities.
Since the start of its operations in 2012, TotalEnergies has implemented various youth initiatives that have contributed to Uganda’s skills and labour pool as well as the Government of Uganda’s education sector goals for capacity building and knowledge transfer.
The initiatives are in line with the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility pillar ‘Youth Inclusion and Education’ and the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on Quality Education.
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Speaking at the event which convened over 200 beneficiaries, Philippe GROUEIX, General Manager, TotalEnergies EP Uganda said youth inclusion in development is essential.
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“There is no sustainable development that will leave young people on the side,” he said.
“We are giving the youth the keys to take their fate into their own hands while promoting equal opportunities and contributing to their self-sufficiency.
He added, “Helping young people make correct decisions is a duty and a social economic necessity so that each young person may find their path.
“That is why we strive to give this initial push to the youths, who have dreams and help them realise them. Already the beneficiaries are contributing tremendously to the development of the country by deploying their acquired skills in different sectors.”
Some of the youth empowerment initiatives include an Ordinary and Advanced Level scholarship program targeting scholars from the Tilenga project districts, internship and graduate trainee programs, vocational training and certification, international postgraduate scholarships, Tilenga Academy Training program, and various collaborations with academic institutions to enhance knowledge transfer.
The Company has also facilitated the training of over 250 Government of Uganda officials in various disciplines. TotalEnergies EP Uganda remains committed to empowering Ugandan youth to drive positive change and contribute to the sustainable development of their communities and country.
Some of the beneficiaries who attended the event gave testimonies how the initiatives helped pave their career paths.
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Sheila Kemigisa, one of the beneficiaries who hails from Masindi was sponsored by TotalEnergies to complete her A Level education at Buddo.
She was able to join Busitema University for a bachelor's degree in Engineering. From here, she joined the Ministry of Energy as an intern in 2019, and in December 2020 she was hired permanently as an Inspector for Mineral Certification.
Gideon Kibirige, another beneficiary recounted that he received a Masters's Degree scholarship from TotalEnergies to study in France in 2021
Afterwards, he was brought on board as an Intern at TotalEnergies HQ, in March this year, he was promoted to Engineer.
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Speaking as Chief Guest at the launch, Ernest Rubondo, the head of the Petroleum Authority Uganda (PAU) commended TotalEnergies for its commitment to sustainability in the oil and gas sector.
“Many people think sustainability will come when oil has been sold and revenue obtained and the programs and projects done are sustainable,” he said.
“While that is true, it is also important to recognize that even in the process of preparing to produce oil, there are very important aspects of sustainability. One of those is the event we have attended to today. Total has demonstrated how it is doing capacity building, at different levels ranging from government officers to students in secondary schools and universities. The people who are benefitting from these skills represent sustainability to a very significant extent.”