ACCEC GREEN COLLEGE
Training. Innovation. Research

BACKGROUND: Nurturing Skills, Sustaining Lives

In response to rising youth unemployment, climate change, and environmental degradation, ACCEC launched the Green College. A  Centre for Training, Research, and Innovation that equips marginalized groups with practical, market-relevant skills in green enterprise.

Since its inception, ACCEC Green College has trained over 300 individuals. These include youth, women, school dropouts, and teenage mothers by offering them a second chance at life through hands-on, environmentally friendly skills. These interventions have not only empowered households economically but also created direct employment and inspired community-wide innovation.

Now, the demand far exceeds our current capacity. We envision a fully established, large-scale Green College that can train 10,000+ people by 2030, drive rural transformation, and become a national model for climate-smart livelihoods.

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What We Do: Skills That Sustain Lives and the Environment

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  1. Wine Production (Matooke & Pineapple)

We train learners in the full value chain from fermentation to bottling using locally available fruits. This not only reduces post-harvest losses but also builds youth-run agri-businesses that generate income and employment. Trainees are supported to access small equipment, branding, and markets.

  1. Cuniculture (Rabbit Rearing)

Rabbits are low-cost, high-yield animals. Beyond meat production, learners benefit from organic manure that is rich in nutrients and ideal for farming. Our program promotes zero-waste farming and multiple income streams from one activity.

  1. Indigenous Microorganism (IMO) Fertilizer

This is a powerful bio-fertilizer made from locally harvested beneficial microbes. Trainees learn how to collect, multiply, and apply IMO to boost soil fertility, enhance biodiversity, and replace chemical fertilizers offering both environmental and cost benefits.

 

  1. Permaculture Design

Participants are trained to create resilient home gardens that mimic natural ecosystems. This training supports food security, improved nutrition, and natural waste recycling. It’s especially impactful for urban and peri-urban women seeking food autonomy.

  1. Briquettes Production

Using agricultural and household waste, participants learn to make eco-friendly briquettes that replace firewood and charcoal. This intervention promotes the circular economy, reduces deforestation, and empowers women and youth to start clean energy businesses.

  1. Plastic Paver Making

We train youth in converting plastic waste into durable paving blocks. This is a solution to plastic pollution that also creates eco-enterprises in construction. This project directly addresses waste management while offering decent jobs.

  1. Solar Dryers for Post-Harvest Handling

Solar dryers extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, reduce spoilage, and enhance value addition. Farmers and youth are taught to fabricate, operate, and use solar dryers to earn more from their harvests boosting climate resilience and food preservation.

  1. Energy-Saving Stoves

We offer training on fabricating and using rocket stoves, fireless cookers, and poultry brooding stoves. These technologies reduce fuel use, lower emissions, and improve indoor air quality—especially benefiting women and school feeding programs.

  1. Beekeeping

Participants are taught modern apiary practices, hive management, and honey processing. Beyond honey, they earn from wax and other hive products while also contributing to pollination and biodiversity conservation.

  1. Mushroom Growing

This quick-yield, space-efficient crop offers income within 3–4 weeks. Trainees learn how to grow mushrooms using agro-waste (e.g., banana peels, maize husks), turning household refuse into nutritious food and income ideal for youth and women with limited land.

 

  1. Tree Nursery Establishment (Fruit & Indigenous Trees)

We train communities to propagate fruit trees (for nutrition and income) and indigenous species (for climate and biodiversity). The seedlings support school greening, agroforestry projects, and community reforestation campaigns.

  1. Financial Literacy and Green Enterprise Development

No skill is complete without the knowledge to save, budget, and invest. We provide financial literacy training, business mentorship, and access to small grants or SACCOs, enabling learners to scale their green innovations into sustainable ventures.

  1. Research and Applied Innovation

Our training center hosts experiments on organic fertilizer use, indigenous seed performance, and other climate-smart innovations. This ensures our methods are evidence-based and replicable across Uganda. Research findings are used to improve training and inform policy advocacy.

  1. School Chalk Production

As schools face rising costs for supplies, we are training youth and women to produce eco-friendly, affordable chalk using locally sourced materials. This supports education access while creating small-scale manufacturing jobs.

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🎓 Why We Need to Expand ACCEC Green College.

The success of these pilots proves that hands-on, green skilling works. But to meet the rising demand and unlock nationwide impact, we propose to:

✅ Construct permanent training facilities with classrooms, demo units, and accommodation
✅ Expand training to 10,000+ vulnerable youth and women by 2030
✅ Develop standardized curricula and national certification for green skills
✅ Establish a center of excellence in environmental research and innovation
✅ Build partnerships with schools, vocational centers, and government institutions

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PARTNER WITH US TO SCALE TRANSFORMATION

We are calling on donors, governments, CSR partners, impact investors and change makers like you to co-create a bold future where sustainability meets opportunity. Together, we can transform ACCEC Green College into a national incubator for green livelihoods, restoring dignity, ecosystems, and economic hope.

🔹 Support a skill. Fund a trainer. Build a green future.

📩 Contact us at: info@actionforecu.org | +256-788100873
🌐 Visit: https://actionforecu.org/