Challenge
While Rwanda is on track to achieve its goals of economic growth, education for young adults is lagging behind. With many unable to complete middle school, young adults aged 16–30 need training in work readiness and employability skills so they can find work in the local job market.
USAID Huguka Dukore Akazi Kanoze will provide learning and internship opportunities; entrepreneurship training and coaching; and access to financing, family planning, and reproductive information. The project promotes gender equality, social inclusion for youth with disabilities, and holistic health programming. It builds upon workforce development strategies successfully implemented by EDC under the USAID Akazi Kanoze and the Mastercard Foundation Akazi Kanoze 2 activities.
Learn more about USAID Huguka Dukore Akazi Kanoze's regional summits (October 15, 23, and 28) and national summit (November 15).
Key Activities
USAID Huguka Dukore Akazi Kanoze focuses on improving young people’s work readiness skills and employment opportunities through the following activities:
- Assessing and sharing data on employment opportunities
- Building capacity of local organizations to deliver employment skills preparation and job intermediation services
- Training youth in relevant job skills for work and self-employment
- Growing the Akazi Kanoze network of local youth-serving organizations and employment resources
Impact
- In Year 2, work readiness programs for vulnerable youth enrollment increase from 3,428 youth in 8 districts to 15,850 youth enrolled across 23 of Rwanda’s 30 districts.
- In 2018, HDAK trained 22 local organizations to assess and share local labor market data and deliver market-relevant employment preparation and job intermediation services as prerequisites to connecting vulnerable youth to stable work and self-employment.
- 8,220 youth received training on reproductive health and family planning as part of the Work Ready Now! training.