GAROWE, 7 August 2023 — Seven hundred and eighty-eight youth who have received skills training like beauty therapy, cooking and catering, garment making, electricity installation, auto electricity employability and life skills have graduated from two to nine months long training courses in Garowe, Puntland.  

 The graduates were the second batch of trainees supported by the Save the Children’s Economic and Social Empowerment of Youth in Somalia (EASE-Y) project which is funded by the German Federal Government.  The graduation ceremony was attended by representatives from the Puntland Ministry of Youth and Labour, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of  Women Development and Family Affairs and the private sector.

EASE-Y programme also provided start-up grants and tools to 188 trainees among graduates to assist them create employment opportunities.

MOHAMED ABDULLAHI ASSAIR, DEPUTY AREA REPRESENTATIVE, SAVE THE CHILDREN PUNTLAND OFFICE:

“Somalia has a huge youth population that has immense potential to drive positive change when equipped with the proper skills and opportunities. Save the Children aims to support Somalia so they can realise their potential by building critical life and job skills, as well as creating platforms for meaningful youth engagement.” 

H.E ABDIRAHMAN AIDID, MINISTER OF LABOUR, YOUTH AND SPORTS OF PUNTLAND:

  “These youth graduates have the potential to become active participants in their communities and help economic growth. Today they have demonstrated their readiness and eagerness to enter our workforce, The government is fully committed to supporting them by creating more job opportunities. Such a program focused on skills and opportunities are critical to harnessing the potential of Somali youth. We are grateful for the support of the German government.”

As Somalia has one of the largest youth populations in the world, Save the Children in collaboration with the government and generous donors support youth skills programmes to empower vulnerable young people in urban areas by building their skills to create opportunities for themselves and enhance their literacy and life-skills capacity.