Vocational Training and Food Security for Youth

After three years of project implementation the main results include: i) 213 young individuals (40% girls) were trained at the new vocational training centre for troubled youth. The Government of Rwanda has recognized this centre for its contribution in reducing wandering youth and promoting social and vocational integration of disadvantaged youth in the area and the Department of Education co-signs the diplomas that are issued at the end of training. ii) More than 75% of the centre’s young graduates found employment in their field of studies. Several young people were hired quickly following their training often with the same employer where they completed their internship. 100% of the hired youth remained employed. iii) Important community awareness activities were completed to encourage area employers to hire these youths particularly the ones that were street kids who have a bad reputation. Employers progressively trusted and eventually became the ambassadors of these young people. iv) Thanks to the establishment of a rice field the local partner produces the rice needed to feed 70 children in foster homes and earns the profits from the income generated annually through this activity (approximately $7 300) which allows for investing in an important part of the costs associated with feeding these children. v) The rice field has become a socioeconomic development model in the region. Thanks to the methods used which promote increased production and performance the local population in majority women were able to improve their living conditions by emulating this activity. The Government of Rwanda has encouraged this local initiative by providing the partner with two additional hectares of land which totals 5.7 hectares of agricultural space.