IESC and USAID to help create jobs for youth in Senegal
Dakar, Senegal – Amid Senegal’s youth unemployment crisis, where over 62% of the unemployed are under 35, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is investing in sustainable futures for young people and their communities. As part of this effort, USAID has awarded Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) with a five-year, $8.4 million Feed the Future Senegal Youth Development Activity award to improve the livelihoods of young people in the Senegal River Valley, Sine Saloum zone, and Casamance regions.
Running from September 2024 to September 2029, this program will deliver targeted technical and social interventions to address youth unemployment and underemployment. Partnering with local public, private, and civil society organizations, Feed the Future Senegal Youth Development Activity will adopt a youth-centered approach, ensuring youth are equal partners and decision-makers in shaping their economic futures. A key feature of the program will be engaging youth to serve on an advisory council and provide their insights, which are critical to addressing the most pressing needs of Senegalese youth.
To bridge the gap between training and market needs, Feed the Future Senegal Youth Development Activity will focus on equipping youth in rural and peri-urban areas with both hard and soft skills necessary to develop new businesses or secure employment in the agricultural sector. An innovative communications strategy and peer-to-peer communities will further engage youth to raise awareness of opportunities to work, learn skills, and start a business. Feed the Future Senegal Youth Development Activity will also partner with public and private organizations to help youth access funding to pursue training or entrepreneurship and provide training in financial literacy.
Feed the Future Senegal Youth Development Activity will leverage strategic grants and technical assistance to build the capacity of local institutions such as incubators, technical and vocational education and training providers, and centers for research and testing. This will enhance skills-building programs for the agricultural sector, deliver trainings, and facilitate work experience and apprenticeships. These efforts aim to ensure the sustainability and scalability of these services long after the program ends. IESC will also engage local employers to create and expand work opportunities.
Feed the Future Senegal Youth Development Activity will benefit 25,000 Senegalese youth, including facilitating employment opportunities for 15,000 youth. Another 5,000 are expected to become new entrepreneurs. Women will make up 60% of the program’s participants. Additionally, the program will address rural youth and marginalized groups.
With 60 years of experience catalyzing private sector growth and employment around the world, IESC is uniquely positioned to lead this effort. Active in West Africa for more than 30 years, IESC also brings specialized expertise in agriculture-led growth, youth-led solutions, and workforce development.
The Feed the Future Senegal Youth Development Activity is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development through Feed the Future. The U.S. Agency for International Development is the lead the United States Government foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.
