SNV Launches New Youth Project in Tanzania

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, is today launching its five year (2013 – 2018) Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE) project in Tanzania at their offices in Chole Road, Masaki in Dar es Salaam.

The project: This five-year project, which is also implemented in Mozambique and Rwanda, aims to improve the livelihoods and prospects of 20,500 rural, out-of-school youth through skills training in a way that fuels their own aspirations as well as the needs of local Agriculture and Renewable Energy markets. Furthermore, OYE matches skilled youth with labour market opportunities and contributes to the establishment of new youth-led enterprises. Above all, OYE harnesses the motivation, energy and passion of rural youth to innovate and transform existing markets and to create new ones.

The partners: SNV is an international not-for-profit development organisation. We believe that no-one should have to live in poverty and that all people should have the opportunity to pursue their own sustainable development.

The MasterCard Foundation advances youth learning and promotes financial inclusion to catalyze prosperity in developing countries.  Through collaboration with partner organizations in 46 countries, it is creating opportunities for all people to learn and prosper.

The problem: Globally, an estimated 75 million of 1.2 billion young people (ages 15-24) are currently looking for work. Combined with limited opportunities, this translates into severe youth un (der) employment. Despite the reported 7% economic growth in Tanzania, youth unemployment accounts for 30% of the total unemployment figure, it is proven that a much higher percentage of youth is stuck in vulnerable employment with few chances to earn a decent income. The problem is partly caused by limited employment opportunities in rural economies, whereas, many rural youth lack the skills that are needed in rural markets. OYE is partnering with existing and emerging initiatives in agribusiness (e.g. crops, livestock, dairy) and green energy (e.g. biogas, solar, biomass) to equip youth with technical as well as soft skills in accessing on-the-job training and employment. The project works to strengthen the capacities of local service providers and other key stakeholders in a way that ensures that training packages remain locally relevant, further increasing the employment prospects for thousands of rural youth.

The approach: OYE in contributing to empowering rural youth, provides out-of-school youth with vital employment skills through training in business development and financial literacy, as well as technical and life skills. The project facilitates internships, on-the-job-training and placements in private and public enterprises in the Renewable energy and Agri-business sectors. It also promotes the establishment of new youth-led enterprises by means of training, coaching and connecting youth to financial services.

The project uses an innovative combination of three strategies applied in combination: skills development (push); match supply and demand of skills and employment creation (pull), in a combination of two sectors – agriculture and renewable energy, optimizing the links between the two sectors and promoting “green enterprise’ development.

The target: The training programs have been tailor made to contain both theory and practical training with the intention of equipping youth with the correct knowledge to be employed or start their own businesses. At least 80% or more of OYE project trainees gain employment or start their own businesses in the high-growth agriculture and biogas sectors.

For more information, go to SNV’s website: http://www.snvworld.org/en/oye