Youth Vocational Skills & Entrepreneurship
To equip unemployed and underemployed youth with market -relevant and hands-on skill,entrepreneurship competencies,and pathways to dignified employment and self-employment opportunities.
Key Achievements
- Trained and certified 11,146 youth (61% female) in market-oriented vocational skills.
- Supported youth employment pathways through mentoring, business incubation, startup support, and financial linkages.
- Facilitated the establishment and growth of 1,092 youth-led enterprises.
- Established youth alumni associations to strengthen peer learning & collective action.
- Established a youth saving and credit cooperative, providing financial access to over 480 members.
- Trained 577 youth in solar installation, maintenance, and business skills.
- Supported the establishment of 61 solar enterprises, with 85% remaining operational and collectively generating significant capital growth.
- Provided 85,965 off-grid households with access to solar home systems (lanterns).
- Equipped 24 public institutions (1 health center, 12 schools, 11 TVET colleges) with solar systems.
- Strengthened nine TVET colleges to become nationally accredited solar PV assessment centers.
- Equipped 21 TVET institutions with practical training equipment and tools.
Approach
ESD adopts a market-driven and systems-oriented training aligned with labor demand, private sector needs, and emerging green economy opportunities
Target Beneficiaries
- Youth aged 18–29 years, particularly those unemployed and/or underemployed
- Young entrepreneurs and startup founders
- Vulnerable youth from marginalized communities – returnees, IDPs and refugees
Key Intervention Areas
- Short-term Vocational Skills Development and Upskilling Support
- Digital Literacy and Employment Pathways
- Entrepreneurship Development and Access to Finance
- Job Placement and Private Sector Engagement
- Green Skills and Climate-Smart Livelihoods
Cross-Cutting Priorities
The following cross-cutting priorities are integrated across all ESD program pillars to ensure quality, sustainability, and accountable delivery:
- Inclusion and diversity
- Localization and policy advocacy