From Community Challenge to National Recognition

JA Uganda National Business Exhibition 2026

Don Bosco VTC Palabek turned a real community challenge into an innovative solution, earning national recognition at the JA Uganda Exhibition in Kampala on 25 September 2026. Through their creative and affordable school bag innovation, the learners demonstrated how vocational skills, entrepreneurship and community needs can come together to create meaningful impact.

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The JA Uganda National Exhibition brought together

20 SCHOOLS

Secondary Schools

These were majorly prominent schools from Kampala, Mukono, Entebbe

Technical schools

This were represented by Don Bosco Vocational schools of Uganda: Bombo, Kamuli and Palabek settlement

Primary schools

Innovation also came from Primary schools within central Uganda like Kampal

Augmenting Innovation

Don Bosco Vocational Training Center (VTC) Palabek has earned national recognition for innovation after emerging first among participating technical institutions at the National Technical Skills and Innovation Exhibition held in Kampala on 25 September 2026.The exhibition brought together 20 schools from across Uganda, including primary, secondary and technical institutions. Don Bosco Vocational Training Centers were represented by Bombo, Kamuli and Palabek, giving learners an opportunity to showcase their technical skills and innovative ideas.

Held under the theme “Augmenting Innovation,” the exhibition challenged young people to identify challenges within their communities and develop practical solutions. For the learners of Don Bosco VTC Palabek, this challenge inspired an innovative school bag designed to respond to the needs of school-going children in Palabek Refugee Settlement.

Innovation for the Community

From a Community Challenge to a Practical Solution

Challenge in the Palabek settlement

Many school-going children in Palabek Refugee Settlement carry their books by hand because they do not have proper school bags. During rainy weather, their books can easily get wet and damaged, while carrying several books without a bag can also be uncomfortable and inconvenient. This daily challenge can affect the safety and durability of learning materials and makes the journey to and from school more difficult for many children.

Innovation Through Tailoring Skills

Students from the Tailoring Department used their practical skills and creativity to design and produce school bags that are strong, waterproof, comfortable, affordable and attractive. The bags also incorporate elements of local identity, making them both practical and unique. Through their student-led business initiative, Rise and Shine Beauty Bag Enterprise, the learners turned their classroom skills into an entrepreneurial opportunity.

Uniqueness and Impact

The school bags stand out for their affordability, durability, versatility and local identity. Designed with the needs of children in Palabek in mind, they provide a practical solution for protecting and carrying school materials. At the same time, the innovation gives learners an opportunity to apply their tailoring skills, build entrepreneurial experience and create a product with meaningful community impact. This has made the school children to feel comfortable on their way to school

Celebrating Skills, Innovation and Success

National Recognition

The creativity and practicality of the learners’ innovation earned Don Bosco VTC Palabek first position among the participating technical schools. The institution was awarded a Certificate of Recognition and a cash prize for successfully transforming a community challenge into a practical and innovative product. The achievement also brought individual recognition, with one Palabek learner named among the five best presenters at the exhibition. Beyond the award, the achievement opened new opportunities for the learners and the institution. Rise and Shine Beauty Bag Enterprise was promised a website to help promote and market its products, while the school was offered training in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support learning, entrepreneurship and innovation. Participating learners and instructors from Don Bosco VTC Palabek also received certificates in recognition of their contribution and participation in the competition.

Skills That Create Opportunities

This achievement goes beyond winning a competition. It highlights the value of hands-on vocational education, where learners are encouraged to identify community challenges, develop practical solutions, work together and explore how their skills can create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods. The school bag innovation reflects this approach by turning a simple community need into an opportunity for technical learning, creativity, entrepreneurship and social impact. It has also given the learners valuable experience in product development, presentation, teamwork and business thinking. This achievement also demonstrates the potential of young people when they are given the right skills, guidance and opportunity to innovate. It reflects the Don Bosco commitment to youth development equipping young people with practical skills, confidence and an entrepreneurial mindset to build better futures for themselves and contribute positively to their communities.

Celebrating Young Innovators

The annual Competition and Exhibition Day, organized by Junior Achievement (JA) Uganda in partnership with Gender Matters for Green TVET, provides young people with a valuable platform to showcase their ideas, technical skills and entrepreneurial potential. The event demonstrated that meaningful innovation does not always require sophisticated technology. It can begin with listening to the community, identifying a challenge and using practical skills to develop a solution. For the learners of Don Bosco VTC Palabek, this simple approach led to the creation of a school bag that addressed a real community need and earned them national recognition. Their achievement shows how vocational skills, creativity and entrepreneurship can empower young people to become problem-solvers, innovators and creators of opportunities within their communities.

Get In Touch

Contact Us

To get access to our Innovation and to inquire more you can reach out to us via.

Office Mail

donboscopalabekvtc@gmail.com

Office Number

+256 792037233

Office Address

Palabek Refugee Settlement, Lamwo District

Website

https://www.donboscopalabek.org

Want to know more

Reach out to us

Gallery

Most Precious Moments

From presenting the Rise and Shine Beauty Bag Enterprise and showcasing the learners’ innovative school bags to receiving national recognition, the JA Uganda Exhibition was filled with memorable moments for Don Bosco VTC Palabek. The event brought together learners, instructors and partners in a celebration of creativity, practical skills, teamwork and achievement.

The gallery captures some of the key moments of the day, including the learners’ presentations, exhibition of their products, interactions with other participants, recognition of their achievement and the celebration that followed.

Exhibition 1
Exhibit 11
Exhibit 6
Exhibition 2
Exhibit 5
Exhibit 4
Exhibit 3
Exhibition 3
Exhibition 4
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