The African Development Bank (AfDB) has granted $999,000 to support an initiative targeting the promotion of green employment opportunities for women, youth, and individuals with disabilities in Ghana and Senegal.
This funding, sanctioned via the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund (YEI MDTF), will be allocated to the Strengthening Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities’ Micro-Entrepreneurship for Green Jobs in Natural Resources (MicroGREEN) project.
The project’s objective is to stimulate inclusive economic advancement by offering up to 500 green job openings and business development services to marginalized demographics in the natural resource management sectors of Ghana and Senegal.
The project’s beneficiaries will comprise women, youth, and individuals with disabilities or special needs, engaged in overseeing natural resource sectors such as agroforestry, fisheries, and biodiversity.
Over a span of two years, the MicroGREEN project aims to equip at least 1,000 young individuals aged 15-35 with entrepreneurship capabilities and business acumen in both countries, with a focus on female youth (60%), individuals with disabilities/special needs (10%), and other youth (30%).
Through a concentration on capacity building and the utilization of value chain-based SME development models, the project seeks to enhance job creation, ensure the sustainability of micro-enterprises, and integrate beneficiaries into economic systems.
Implemented by Invest in Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering African SME growth and creating prosperous economies across the continent, the MicroGREEN project will leverage its expertise in market access, skills development, and access to finance to drive sustainable business growth and job creation in Ghana and Senegal.
Established in 2017 by the African Development Bank, the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund aims to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and the creation of lasting and sustainable jobs for youth across the continent.
This trust fund offers grants to support the Bank’s Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy programs and initiatives.
The Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy seeks to generate 25 million jobs and equip 50 million youth with employable and entrepreneurial skills by 2025.
