120 youths empowered by Save the Children in Freetown and Kailahun
While students from the University of Sierra Leone were graduating at FBC on Saturday 14th December, another historic graduation was also taking place at the YWCA hall at Brookfields in Freetown in which 120 young people who have gone through Save the Children’s piloted project on Education for Youth Empowerment graduated.
In 2012, Save the Children in Sierra Leone added a new sub-thematic area within education program – Vocational Education and Skills Development for deprived youth under the Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) program. The Program launched officially in February 2013 in five communities in Freetown (Kroobaybay and Kuntolor) and Kailahun (three chiefdoms). The overall objective is Economic, Social and Political Empowerment of youth.
With a focus on the most vulnerable, potential beneficiaries were selected by communities. They are teenage mothers, youth who never attended School due to the war or who have dropped out of basic education. Participants will be between 15 to 25 years.
Under the Economic Empowerment, 120 youth – (20 each from the three communities in Kailahun and 30 each from the two communities in Freetown) benefited from, either skills training in formal institutions or through apprenticeships training for nine months. The selected beneficiaries also benefited from adult literacy lessons, enterprise training and logistics support such as startup kits, transport and food allowances to enable them complete their training courses successfully. During the course of the training, the trainees were also linked with potential employers for further apprenticeship training or employment. Save the Children is to ensure that 90% of youths trained are engaged in quality and relevant long-term training with master craftsmen, or shorter practical skill training; 50% being employed in apprenticeships or in active business groups following graduation from the practical skills training.
Social and Political Empowerment will develop increased understanding and relationship between youth and community stakeholders, especially with regards to youth related issues such as cultural barriers, harmful traditional practices and government and community accountability. “We will also ensure that 40% of the youth have adequate knowledge on youth rights and are able to access resources available for youth empowerment at community level”, says Osman Lahai, the EYE Program Officer.
Alie Y Kallay
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