Absa Bank Uganda has partnered with Junior Achievement Uganda (JAU) in a three-year initiative aimed at equipping over 25,000 young Ugandans with essential financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills. Targeting learners up to 25 years old, the programme is designed to prepare the next generation for sustainable livelihoods and the evolving world of work.
Building on Absa Group’s long-standing collaboration with Junior Achievement International, the initiative engages participants through practical training and experiential learning models. Among these, the Company Programme allows students to create and manage mini-companies, while innovation and leadership camps nurture creativity, problem-solving, and leadership skills. The National Company of the Year Competition showcases successful student-run enterprises, and job shadowing opportunities provide exposure to real-world workplaces. Learners also access Absa’s Ready-to-Work online platform, which offers training in finance, people management, and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the launch, Absa Uganda Managing Director David Wandera emphasized the importance of financial literacy for long-term prosperity. “By investing in young people’s financial skills, we are helping them make responsible choices that pave the way for financial freedom—for themselves and their communities,” he said.
The programme also involves Absa employee volunteers as mentors during boot camps, workshops, and events aligned with global observances such as World Youth Day, World Savings Day, and Global Entrepreneurship Week. Junior Achievement Uganda Country Director Rachael Mwagale highlighted the initiative’s reach across Mukono, Mpigi, and Kampala, noting that it equips youth with the confidence and skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Through this partnership, Absa and JAU aim to promote financial inclusion, empower responsible decision-making, and foster a more resilient, knowledge-driven economy in Uganda.