Youth skills
Africa’s population is young, but underemployed. More than half the young people in East Africa are out of work, with women in rural areas and 18-20 year-olds the worst affected.
Without opportunities for meaningful paid work, young people are vulnerable to exploitation, drug and alcohol abuse. Remaining dependent on their parents holds back their families from establishing financial security, and is a brake on national economic development.
To address these risks we have made developing work opportunities for young people a priority.
Developing young people’s work skills
We aim to recruit at least 20% young people as participants in our projects.
For those who have never worked we need to train in the essential workplace skills they may have missed out on at school: communicating, cooperating and solving problems. In our specialist youth projects we support young people into valuable apprenticeships.
Helping young people to create their own work
In areas where job opportunities are scarce we support young people in developing the entrepreneurial skills they need to start their own micro-businesses, in areas as diverse as hairdressing, livestock-rearing, tailoring and motorcycle maintenance.
Building employment market opportunities
Our enterprise work includes developing markets, and access to them, for rural communities, and supporting the development of value-added products (such as yogurts and cheeses in the dairy sector).
More diversified markets offer greater opportunities for employment, in everything from transport services to packaging.
Batte Joachim, Uganda
Want to hear good news stories from Africa, get involved in fantastic fundraising and be part of exciting events? Fill out your details below and we will keep you updated by email.