Huawei flies 10 Ugandan students to China for ICT training

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Huawei flies 10 Ugandan students to China for ICT training

BY PAUL TENTENA

KAMPALA, UGANDA- Uganda recently flagged off 10 successful ICT University students from public Universities to China, under the Huawei Seeds for the Future programme.

Dr. John Chrysestom Muyingo, the Minister of State for Higher Education, who  flagged off the 10 Students at a ceremony that was held at Makerere University Main Hall Building urged them to be disciplined because they were carrying Uganda’s flag during the two weeks training period in China.

“ICT education is an integral element to socioeconomic development of different countries. We together with our partners Huawei believe that the program shall act as a crucial platform for sharing the latest ICT technologies and enriching students' work experience, helping to prepare them to work efficiently in ICT and their employment places.

The students that left for China are Hellen Raudha Nakayiza from Lira University, Marvin Ggaliwango from Lira University, Daniel Mutembesa from Makerere University, Godliver Owomugisha from Makerere University, George Joseph Serunjogi from Makerere University,  Jonathan Kigozi from Muni University, Francis Bukenya from Busitema University, Sharon Judith Lalam from Gulu University,         Maria Drolence Mwanje from Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Maria Angella Namuleme from Kyambogo University.

“I thank Huawei for this wonderful initiative of the Seeds for the Future program that shall witness 10 students go to China to acquire hands-on ICT skills and an exposure to the latest trends in the world of technology,” Muyingo added.

This year’s program was launched on April 24th by Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance. 35 students from various public universities were recommended to take part in this program among which 10 were selected.

“With the help of the Ministry and Makerere University, we notified the other various public universities of Uganda such as Muni, Kyambogo, Mbarara, Lira, Gulu and Busitema, which also come on board by sending five students from each to apply for this opportunity.

The 35 proposals from these universities were reviewed by the judges’ team to shortlist the top 20 on 5th May. On 12th May, these 20 were interviewed to get to the top 10 whom we have announced today. The flagged off students shall leave on 2nd June to China for two weeks training,” says Mr. Stanley Chyn, the Managing Director of Huawei Uganda.

“In many countries, there is a gap between the knowledge learned in the classroom and the skills that are necessary in the real world. Therefore, the pool of skilled personnel should be provided opportunities to learn and apply the latest technologies.

“ I thank Huawei for being a responsible corporate citizen through its efforts in bridging the digital divide, improving efficiency and enriching lives through a better connected world in Uganda,” noted the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda  Zheng Zhuqiang who was also present to witness the flag off.

The Seeds for the Future program was initiated in 2008 by Huawei with over 2700 talents from all over the world for study trips in China.

Huawei finalizes sending of 10 ICT talents to China

Kampala, UGANDA- Huawei Technologies has finalized the sending of  10 ICT talents from public universities in Uganda, an initiative that was lauded by Frank Tumwebaze the Minister of ICT and National Guidance.

The initiative is known as to the 2017 Seeds for the Future program.

Tumwebaze said recently that the program is in line with the ‘Digitization Uganda Strategy’ that is to be completed and launched soon.

“I thank Huawei for the great contribution to the ICT sector. Seeds for the Future program helps cultivate and pool together ICT professionals and students that are crucial to industry development, thus boosting ICT industry growth, driving the development of different sectors and contributing to lower unemployment rates over the long term. To the beneficiary students, please don’t take such opportunities lightly but rather maximize them to become better by gathering useful experiences’’, he said.

The program that was flagged off by H.E. Yoweri Museveni began in Uganda in 2016 with 10 ICT talents visiting China in Beijing and Shenzhen. These were trained in the Chinese culture such as language, calligraphy, painting learning, historical tour in Beijing and cutting-edge ICTs lessons, enterprise management experience sharing, lab practices, Huawei exhibition hall visit and solutions demonstration in Shenzhen, where Huawei’s headquarter is located.

“Our focus this year is to have the top 10 students out of the 35 students recommended by government universities of Uganda through competition. The judges will look through their proposals on “How to accelerate the development of Uganda through ICT” and select the best 10 for the program who shall travel to China on 2^nd June for two weeks”, says Stanley Chyn Huawei’s Managing Director. 

The Assistant Commissioner Information and Communication of the Ministry of Education and Sports Mr. Patrick Muinda commended Huawei for the program and noted that the Minister of Education approved to partner with Huawei for the activities under the Seeds for the Future 2017.

“The Ministry of Education and Sports is a partner of the Seeds for the future program 2017. This program was introduced to the Minister Hon. Janet Museveni earlier this year, which she welcomed and approved all the said activities and timelines to take place. On this note I thank Huawei for allowing us to be a part and parcel of an initiative that can only add to Uganda’s education sector through knowledge transfer, enhancement of teaching and scientific research capabilities and provision of high quality courses and opportunities for hands-on practice”, he said

The Deputy Chief of Mission Chinese Embassy to Uganda Mr. Chu Maoming noted that Chinese companies like Huawei are committed to the wellbeing of all Ugandans and affirmed that it is a policy for all Chinese enterprises to give back to the locals.

The Seeds for the Future program was initiated in 2008 by Huawei with over 2700 talents from all over the world for study trips in China.

Global coffee demand to hit 136m tonnes by 2012

Global coffee demand to hit 136m tonnes by 2012

Monday, 15 August 2011 13:48 Paul Tentena

KAMPALA, UGANDA - The demand for coffee and coffee products worldwide is expected to reach 136 million tons this year from the 134 million it was in 2010, sector analysts have predicted.
This will show an increase of over 2 million tons over 2010, an increase of 2.1%.
According to a source in Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), the increased demand for coffee in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Costa Rica is the main driver for the shooting up coffee demand.
In Uganda, Coffee production capacity is about 3 million bags per year. However, Uganda produced 2.7 million bags of coffee last year, indicating a drop in production. Market analysts predict this year's production will realize an increment of 100,000 bags to 2.8 million bags.
In June this year, a total of 370,924 60kg bags of coffee worth $57.95m from Uganda were shipped to various destinations of the world. It represented a 58% and 152% rise in the volume and value of coffee respectively.
The weighted price at export level stood at US260 cent per Kg, while the farm gate prices ranged at between Ush1800 ($0.72) and Ush2000 ($0.8) per Kgof Robusta Dry Cherries. Arabica Parchment traded at between Ush8000 ($3.2) and Ush9000 ($3.6) while FAQ was at between Ush4500 ($1.8) and Ush4800 ($1.92).
Coffee exports in nine months, between October 2010 and June 2011, stood at 2.12 million bags, earning over $300.9m consisting of Robusta (1.61 million bags) earning about $183.84 million and Arabica 0.51 million bags earning $117.05 million.
The coffee exports between July 2010 and June 2011 were recorded at 2.78 million bags, representing a growth in earnings of about $371m.

Uganda tourism hit hard by demos

Uganda tourism hit hard by demos

Monday, 15 August 2011 11:19 Paul Tentena

KAMPALA - Uganda tour operators have asked the government and the opposition to work out measures that will peacefully resolve the economic crisis in the country rather than resorting to the violent demonstrations.
The operators noted that the violent ‘Walk to Work’ demonstrations scare away tourists, hence hurting their business.
"We're not in politics. This is purely business," said Mr. Boniface Byamukama, the president of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators. "The opposition and the government should sit and discuss how they can amicably solve the economic crisis in Uganda rather than resorting to walk to work."

A cross-section of tour operators at the meeting in Kampala last week. (Photo by Paul Tentena)

The operators' plea came  amidst the opposition led by a group, Activists 4 Change, warning they will soon resume the walk to work demonstration if the government doesn't address the soaring inflation, worsening exchange rate, rising prices of goods and services and the high cost of living.
Inflation for July was recorded at 18.7% the highest rate rise in 18 years while the Uganda Shilling traded at between Ush2815 and Ush2830 the weakest/lowest against the  dollar in many years.
The Uganda Shilling has dropped by at least 14% against the US dollar this year.
"We lost about 30% of our business in the May demos. This should the peak season for us. The politicians should not spell doom for us," added Mr. Amos Wekesa, the President of the Uganda Tourism Association.
The Uganda Tourism Association brings together all tourism stakeholders in Uganda. They include tour operators, hotel owners, safari guides, airliners, and heritage sites owners, Community Tourism Association, travel bureaus and tourist car hire companies.
The hotel owners alone lost about 70% of their business in the May demos.
 They sounded their concern during an annual meeting in Kampala last week.
Another scenario was echoed by Mr. Ben Ntare, the managing director of Pearl of Africa Safaris who recalls losing a safari of students from a US university.
"In May, during these demos I had a safari for 17 students from United States. They were supposed to stay for four days but only spent a day and went back.  I had to refund the money for the other days yet I had made bookings with different hotels, parks and lodges," Ntare stressed.
He added that on average 50% of the tours are cancelled during riots because insurance companies cannot pay insurance covers to the tourists if they travel and encounter problems after having prior knowledge of the situation of a country.
"Like for American and British tourists, they are always provided with travel advisory in respect to the countries they are going to," Ntare added.
Mr. Fred Bukenya of Travel Hemisphere Safaris, also recalls how his tourists who had gone for a Kampala tour in Makerere University were caught up in the fracas in May.
"They vowed never to come back to Uganda," Bukenya told the East African Business Week.
The tour operators also elected two new members, Mr. Mohit Advani of Global Interlink Travel Services and Mr. Felix Musinguzi of Kazinga Tours to their Executive Board.
Byamukama asked the government to increase on their tourism marketing funds as it emerged that the only $300,000 contribution cannot fully persuade tourists to come to Uganda.
“The government should also fully fund some of the tourism fairs we participate in," stressed Byamukama.
The Uganda Tourism Board has earmarked $49m for tourism marketing over a five year project.

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written by Herbert Byaruhanga, August 16, 2011

Thank you Paul. Iam in the forest birding but had a short break to check on my mails only to find a google aleart about tourism of Uganda.

Indeed the politicians are killing the incomes of Ugandans whom they claim to fight for. They have not understood that that the more tourists we get the less the exchange rate. The KASITA group are not any different. They should understand that business is for us all. We all have to live. Politcs are over. The opposition should start planning for 2016

China investments rise

China investments rise

Monday, 15 August 2011 14:01 Paul Tentena

KAMPALA, UGANDA- The Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), a union of all employers in Uganda has conducted a survey that shows a rise in the number of Chinese investors in Uganda.
The baseline survey of Chinese enterprises in Uganda was done in regard to the establishment of a data base for Chinese enterprises in Uganda in order to facilitate the formation and development of Company Cooperation Groups and promoting socially responsible business in East Africa.
It was done in partnership with the Chinese Enterprise Confederation and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprises.
According to Ms. Rebecca Wamono Nalumu, special advisor Uganda Investment Authority and conducted the survey on behalf of the FUE, the growth of new Chinese enterprises has been rapid in the recent years and some of the new companies lack information on aspects such as labour laws, labour relations, giving an opportunity for the project to target such enterprises.
Nalumu noted that most of the Chinese Enterprises are small and medium enterprises employing less than 50 people.
They were recorded at 73% of the 150 Chinese Enterprises surveyed. The large companies were 41 registering a percentage of 27%.
It was discovered that a number of Chinese enterprises operate in Uganda but have no signposts and it is difficult to locate them.
"This challenge was also encountered during the distribution of invitations to the CCG meetings and dissemination of documents and activities of the project," explained Nalumu.
However she added that since, a number of the enterprises provided their telephone contacts and email addresses, which could assist in locating them.
Though most Chinese enterprises have been blamed for supplying substandard products to East Africa, Nalumu noted that some like Tian Tang and Nile Steel and Plastics are doing a tremendous job.
"Though the majorities are in wholesale and retail business," she stressed adding that others are in manufacturing, accommodation and food services, restaurant and catering services and construction services.
She was giving a presentation during the visit of Mr. John Bernander the Chief Executive Officer of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise at the Kampala Serena Hotel over the weekend.
Chinese investment in Africa at the state level is growing in Africa at astronomical speeds. Individual Chinese businesses are also following. In Uganda, some who are engaged in retail business have caused uneasiness.