Uganda’s current youth unemployment rate sits at 13.3% with over 400,000 students graduating yearly and less than 20% deployed into the workforce.
Two of the major barriers are lack of skills and lack of work experience. Vanessa Atim founded ProInterns to change this narrative. The company is tackling youth unemployment and underemployment by using technology to connect graduates and students with employers through formal internship, placement and entry-level opportunities in Uganda.
In 2018 Atim received the Women for Women award from the US and French Ambassadors under the academics category for ProInterns. Additionally, she was recently selected as 1 of 36 Ugandan entrepreneurs for the 1000 Entrepreneurs Challenge for the Africa-France summit 2020.
Please tell us about yourself, ProInterns and the work you do.
Firstly thank you for the opportunity! My name is Vanessa Atim, a 29 driven and ambitious young woman. I’m the Founder of ProInterns connecting students and graduates in Uganda to internship, placement and entry-level opportunities with leading organisations and impactful start-ups.
Our platform empowers young people to kick start their careers through links to opportunities providing meaningful work (SDG8) and to boost skills development. Through ProInterns, employers can attract fresh talent, identify skilled candidates and manage the hiring process under one platform while building its future talent pipeline.
What drives you? How did you find yourself being such a passionate advocate for youth employment?
Purpose and passion, I think that whatever your business or calling may be it is imperative that you have some sort of purpose tied to what you are aiming to achieve. As for becoming a passionate advocate for youth employment this stems from a conversation with a relative who was unemployed for 2 years post university, this inspired my mission to connect and educate young Ugandans on labour market conditions and in-demand skills in Uganda.
My passions lie in making a difference in the lives of young people; job creation, social impact, up-skilling youth and talent development are issues I hold dear to my heart. I hold the belief that every student and graduate has the potential to thrive and deserves the opportunity to better their chances of transformed livelihoods through gainful and decent employment.
What do you think are the central challenges regarding youth employment in Uganda? How might such challenges be overcome?
Over 75% of young people are engaged in vulnerable work or are underemployed meaning low earnings, low productivity, and working within difficult conditions.
According to research the base of the labour market pyramid tend to lack the information, equal access, networks, and resources to find opportunities. At ProInterns our mission is to tackle youth unemployment and underemployment by using technology to connect graduates and students with employers through formal internship, placement and entry-level opportunities in Uganda.
What are some of the achievements you’ve registered with ProInterns?
We’ve worked with leading organisations and impactful start-ups in Uganda and abroad, helping employers hire the right talent from Marketing Assistants to Junior Software Developers and in the same token connecting young Ugandans to meaningful and decent work opportunities. Hearing some of our alum stories really brings tears to my eyes, knowing that through ProInterns they applied for an internship, worked their way up the career ladder and are now supervisors / managers earning good salaries!
Leadership isn’t easy especially during these challenging times. What has your approach been leading your team?
Being honest is key. I think it was a trying time for everyone on a global scale. However, it is important to figure out how we can move forward, share ideas, pray and try our best to keep going. Leading is never easy, but I think it’s important to lead by example which I believe we did through our blog on how to navigate the world of work post COVID-19.
What advice do you give to social enterprises struggling due to the Pandemic?
Add value, this could be through content creation. Sharing or leading the conversation via your social media pages or blog. This is also a good time to see how you can take your business online.
Any exciting projects you are currently working on?
Yes! Really excited to launch an amazing initiative alongside incredible Ugandan women. It is called Women 4 Women Fund. It was put in place to help the women rise up from the challenges that have come up as a result of the lock down. The campaign #100WomenUG / #Women4WomenFund is to help at least 100 financially across Uganda.
What inspired you to start the initiative?
It wasn’t just me, there are many ladies behind this Initiative Aisha Ali (Founder of Iprofile Foundation) and a group of ladies including; Helda Mary, Mildred Gambda, Consolate Namyalo, Joan Comfort Agazu, Josey Esisa, Peace Pimer, Immy Julie, Nila Yasmin and Rebecca Nanjego.
Initially this started in the ‘Women 4 Women’ group, these are a group of 2018 awardees by the US and French ambassadors to Uganda as well as government officials to acknowledge women who are creating social impact through business.
Now, as a group, we are worried about how women with small businesses lost their sources of income due to COVID-19 and the nationwide lockdown.
How will the initiative solve these challenges?
There have been countless government interventions to offset the effects of the measures to curb the spread of COVID19, but the question of sustainability remains. With all this in mind, there is need to worry about how the people in the communities will survive once the lockdown is lifted. Given that for the most, women are the backbone of society.
The main aim of this fund is to help women, with special emphasis on urban refugees, market vendors and street vendors to get back on their feet.
This is in terms of:
- Helping them set up shop
- Find ways to enable them to clear arrears
- Find sustainable ways for them to keep their sources of income up and running.
The resources for this fund to run are to be raised by different individuals and women-led organizations that support the cause.
How can those interested in the initiative be a part of/ contribute to it?
Please follow our social media channels for when we announce the launch: Follow us and keep an eye out for when we launch:
https://www.facebook.com/UgWomen4Women/
https://www.instagram.com/ugwomen4women/
https://twitter.com/UgWomen4Women
Quick Five
- What is the last thing you googled?
The definition of slay queen (laughs). Someone referred to me recently as one and I was not amused. I mean slay yes, slay Queen no. - First thing you would do if you became a president for a day?
Implement minimum wage. - If you could meet one person alive or dead, who would it be and why?
Dr. Maya Angelou (she’s my second grandma in my head). - Which quotes or phrases do you live by?
Feel the fear and do it anyway – Dr. Susan Jeffers
Do not despise the day of small beginnings – Zechariah 4:10
Consider it ALL joy! - What is the most Ugandan thing about you?
I love posho, soup and local chicken (laughs).
