Since 2015 Fontes Foundation has offered a catering course as part of our Single Mother’s Programme. Due to popular demand, the course has now been opened to all students at the Youth Centre. The hospitality and catering course, provides disadvantaged youth with valuable culinary skills. Through this course, students learn about food production processes and apply their skills practically. After completion of the course and the final exam, the students gain a certificate in food production, enabling them to either start their own businesses or to enter into employment in the hospitality sector.

The course trains the students to deliver high quality food as the curriculum covers all aspects of food production from the importance of correct hygiene practices to culinary techniques and customer service. The gastronomy taught is a mix of both local Ugandan and international cuisine, enabling the students to prepare a variety of meals. This way the students will find a ready market for their skills. The latest cohort of the Catering Course began on the 5th of February 2018 with 20 students and 5 single mothers. The course is facilitated by Julius Kamukama. Julius holds a degree in Hotel Management and he has extensive experience both as a professional chef and as a facilitator. As a facilitator, Julius is passionate about passing on his skills to his students and empowering others to pursue their goals.

On Monday, the topic of the day was bites and snacks. The students learnt to prepare various sandwiches and other small food items such as hamburgers and meat balls. Sandwiches are a low cost snack with broad appeal, making them ideal for this course as many of the students hope to one day start their own catering businesses. Michael is one such student, he plans to open a restaurant in April offering a mix of Ugandan and German cuisine. Joanne, another student in the course, also hopes to start a business after the catering course. She joined the course because she loves cooking and has plans to open a small bakery. This course provides her with both the technical skills and with the business considerations which she will need to open her bakery.

In this way the catering course offers an opportunity for the students to gain experience in the culinary arts while also providing a path to financial stability. If you would like to contribute to the work done at our Youth Centre then donate today to support the continued development of Ugandan youth.

The catering course students with their final product