In East Africa, formal employment opportunities are often scarce, and entrepreneurship presents a path toward economic independence for many young women and men. TechnoServe is helping small shop owners in Kenya, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire become more profitable by connecting them with the knowledge, training, and tools they need to become successful retailers.
TechnoServe helps young people in the developing world access the information, capital, and markets they need to overcome tremendous obstacles and create their own economic opportunities. Today we are sharing the story of Mary Wacera, a 30-year-old entrepreneur from central Kenya who created her own successful agribusiness after participating in a TechnoServe program.
In Tanzania, young people like Asia Abdallah often face an uphill battle when entering the job market. With few formal sector jobs available, many turn to entrepreneurship. But without the practical skills to get started, entrepreneurship can present challenges. TechnoServe is equipping youth with the skills they need to gain formal employment or run their own successful businesses.
For over 50 years, TechnoServe has helped hardworking women and men in the developing world gain the skills, connections, and confidence to create self-sustaining businesses and build a path out of poverty. In part two of this series, we ask a few of these farmers and entrepreneurs to share how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their lives and how they are coping with its effects.
In Tanzania, shopkeepers like Emanuel Barosha Ndiwene often lack the business and financial management skills they need to run profitable businesses. A TechnoServe program connects young entrepreneurs with the knowledge, training, and tools they need to become successful retailers.
In the Indian tradition and culture, it is common for parents to be highly involved in their children’s decision-making processes, particularly regarding career choices. However, parental involvement can also sometimes be a barrier to youth employment. TechnoServe is engaging both youth and their parents to ensure that young people can pursue formal sector jobs with their parents’ support.
In Palma, a rural town in northern Mozambique, young people often struggle to earn a living outside of basic fishing and farming. Entrepreneurship offers a promising solution. After participating in the Catalisa Youth program and business plan competition, Folai Andeni and Fazira Nassoro each began testing their own business ideas and have already begun reaping the rewards.
As a single parent, Justine once struggled to make ends meet. Her work mainly consisted of washing clothes for her neighbors, which barely provided enough money for necessities. After joining a TechnoServe program working to reduce youth unemployment in her area, she gained the skills she needed to start her own tailoring business.
Young people in Brazil often struggle to find employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas. TechnoServe, Anglo American, and the Inter-American Development Bank are helping people like Mariana dos Santos Pinho gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to find meaningful employment and take charge of their lives.
We can learn a lot about solving youth unemployment by paying attention to young entrepreneurs. Changemakers like Violeta Martinez are eager to share lessons that are both context specific and universally relevant.
