Sierra Leone

Youth Empowerment and Employment Project to benefit 8,000 Youths in Sierra Leone

25-06-2007

A Youth Empowerment and Employment Project entitled Youth Enterprise Development, costing a total of nearly Four Million US Dollars, has been set up in Sierra Leone.

The Project which is expected to last three years is expected to develop entrepreneurship training and business development support services, organise support to existing and new youth businesses provided through start-up capital and skills development and training programmes organised for the employment of youths in formal and informal sectors.

Supported by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations Country Team, led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Project also seeks to support the empowerment of the Youths through the creation of decent and productive employment opportunities in small and medium sized enterprises/industries sector. It also aims to support the creation of enterprises as a potential source for self-employment and to promote sustainable livelihoods for or young people through the entrepreneurship development, support to business development services, micro-finance, skills development and training and up -scaling innovative projects, lessons learnt and successful experiences.

Its specific objectives include; create more and better youth enterprises/industries, strengthen institutional capacity of micro-finance and other private sector institutions directly focused on youths micro-credit schemes, provide high quality micro-credit services on a significant scale to aspiring youth entrepreneurs, with a special focus on young women, enhance skills development and training for the employment of young people in formal and informal sectors.

This Project is expected to be funded from the peace building Funds (PBF) to undertake a range of short to medium term activities targeted at addressing youth unemployment and poverty reduction in collaboration with the UN Country Team, development partners, Micro-finance institutions, youth’s networks, youth serving agencies, private sector institutions, District Councils and other community groups.

Upon its completion, a total of over Eight Thousand young men and women would have benefited from its outcome.