Gambian Youth Empowerment project to tackle youth unemployment

The European Union (EU), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the Gambian government, have teamed up to launch an initiative to combat youth unemployment in Gambia.

The Gambian Youth Empowerment project is a four-year initiative that benefits from €11-million from the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

The programme will aim to support the local Gambian economy by firstly enhancing the self-employment opportunities for youth through vocational training, as well as the creation of SMEs. Secondly, the programme will create and improve opportunities for employment within various sectors through value addition and internationalisation.

The Gambian Youth Empowerment programme aims on providing youth with opportunities within the commercial agriculture, service business as well as tourism sectors.

The Gambian Youth Empowerment project will receive €11-million

“Through developing the Gambian private sector as a whole and its enterprises in higher value adding segments the project aims to provide more and better quality employment opportunities for youth. Thriving agribusiness and services sectors also offer opportunities for entrepreneurship and provide lucrative career option,” stated the EU in a press release.

“This initiative matches well with the Trust Funds’ priorities, by creating economic and employment opportunities in a region with a high migration potential to prevent irregular migration and facilitate returns.”

The fund will be broken down into the following:

• €5 950 000 will go toward improving employability and self-employment opportunities
• €3 900 000 to increasing employment within Gambia’s trade and export industry
• €50 000 will go toward visibility
• €200 000 goes to the evaluation and audit
• Lastly, €900 000 will be for any contingencies, after prior approval from the EU Trust Fund.

Featured image: Mandrake Silvertongue via Flickr