Kampala, Uganda — Türkiye has expanded its support for vocational education in Uganda with the inauguration of a modern Culinary Arts and Cooking Workshop at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) Female Campus in Kabojja, near Kampala.
The facility, funded by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), is expected to strengthen practical skills training for hundreds of female students while complementing an existing tailoring programme supported by the Turkish NGO SENA Foundation.
Speaking during Thursday's handover ceremony, Türkiye's Ambassador to Uganda, Fatih Ak, described the project as an investment in Uganda's future, saying vocational education plays a critical role in creating jobs and empowering young people.
"This project is much more than the opening of a new facility. It is an investment in people, in education and in the future of Uganda's young generation, especially its young women," he said.
Investment in people and future
Ak said practical skills are becoming increasingly important in today's economy and should be valued alongside formal academic education.
"In today's world, vocational education is just as valuable as academic education. Skills create opportunities, and opportunities transform lives," he said.
"We hope that the students who train here will not only build successful careers but also become entrepreneurs, create jobs for others and contribute to Uganda's economic development."
The ambassador said the culinary workshop forms part of Türkiye's broader development partnership with Uganda, which spans education, healthcare, agriculture, water and community development.
Development partnership
According to Ak, TİKA has implemented 128 development projects across Uganda in collaboration with Turkish institutions and non-governmental organisations.
"Each of these projects reflects our belief that sustainable development begins with investing in people," he said.
"Looking ahead, Türkiye remains firmly committed to supporting Uganda's development priorities while strengthening the bonds of friendship, cooperation and shared prosperity between our two countries."
The new culinary centre also builds on an existing vocational training initiative at the university, expanding opportunities for women and girls to acquire marketable skills that can lead to employment or self-employment.
Associate Professor Dr Nabukeera Madinah Ssebyala, Director of IUIU's Female Campus, welcomed the support, saying hundreds of students will benefit from the new facility.
She said the workshop will strengthen the university's capacity to provide practical, industry-relevant training and better prepare graduates for careers in Uganda's growing hospitality and food services sector.
