The Broken Promise
Every year, thousands of Ugandan graduates step into the world with degrees in hand, believing they hold keys to success. But the celebrations quickly fade into the grim reality of unemployment and underemployment.
For too many, the question shifts from “What career awaits?” to “How do I survive?”
The Harsh Reality
• Job opportunities are scarce, while graduate numbers surge.
• Many university programs are disconnected from market needs.
• Internships, instead of being stepping stones, become dead ends — unpaid and exploitative.
Some graduates accept undervalued roles far below their training. Others turn to survival hustles — boda riding, vending, shopkeeping — not by choice, but by necessity.
More Than Economics
This trap is not just financial. It is emotional and psychological.
• Hopelessness and depression rise.
• Families are strained.
• Many dream of risky migration routes, chasing opportunities abroad.
Pathways to Hope
Uganda must invest in:
• Skills-driven education that matches industry needs
• Policies that nurture entrepreneurship
• Stronger ties between universities and employers
Above all, youth deserve genuine pathways to dignified work.
DOY’s Call
At DOY, we amplify these truths not as complaints, but as rallying cries for change.
We call on government, private sector, and civil society to collaborate with us in creating opportunities that allow youth to thrive, not merely survive.
If youth hold the nation’s future, then justice demands they be given the tools to shape it.
