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» | Projects | Africa | Benin
Opportunities for the Youth
Environment – Benin is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Unemployment and under-employment are widespread. The long tradition of apprenticed craftsmen no longer meets present-day demand. There is no systematic theoretical and practical education. This means, amongst other things, that the quality of products and services no longer meets growing customer expectations, and that many companies struggle to sell their goods. Sound vocational training enables young people to find jobs on completion of their apprenticeship and to obtain a regular income, whether in a company or as a self-employed person.The Project – The aim is to support the manual trades sector to establish a structured and state-recognised system of vocational training and further education, and to improve the supervision of apprentices. In Benin a national fund finances approximately 90% of the training programmes, and great interest is being shown by professional associations. Thanks to these favourable conditions and experiences with similar projects in Mali and Burkina Faso, between 1,000 and 1,500 apprentices a year receive sound training, and to date more than 4,000 teachers have received additional training in short courses. Together with the local manual trades organisations and the national authorities, model training programmes for apprentices and further education measures for teachers are being developed and implemented, initially for five trades (joinery, tailoring, hairdressing, refrigeration and air conditioning and motor cycle mechanics) in ten towns. Reading and writing is also taught as part of the courses, together with real-life knowledge (AIDS prevention etc.). Access to training for young women is especially being promoted. In addition, local manual trades organisations support vocational training and further education for disadvantaged young people. With the aim of institutionalising this system in future, the training of instructors and continuing education in training sites is also supported. This guarantees future quality training for young people.
Your support for this project
Main partner of this project
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC Lotteriefonds Basel-Landschaft ACCENTUS Foundation (R/T-Fund) |
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12 February 2010
More jobs in emerging countries
Good news from our partner FINANCEcontact: The Swiss government extended its mandate to FINANCEcontact for the management of its SECO Start-up Fund for another five years. Since 1999 the fund lent CHF 30 million to 90 projects, creating more than 10’000 new jobs in 29 emerging market countries.
» | Read on
2 February 2010
Now online: Benin
The new website of Swisscontact Benin has gone life – a fresh look at our work in the Westafrican country.
18 January 2010
Swisscontact joins UN Global Compact
Swisscontact is now a participant of the UN Global Compact. The Swiss organisation will bring its 50 years of experience in directing business initiative towards poverty reduction into the network.
» | Read on
12 January 2010
BBC: Post-Tsunami Coral and Business Recovery
BBC reports on successful business recovery in Aceh (Indonesia), five years after the tsunami. One of the portrayed entrepreneurs is a dive shop owner who recovers destroyed coral on the island of Sabang. Thanks to the financial support from Swisscontact, the clever man has already recovered more than 500m2 of corals which now attract tourists and scientists from all over the world.
» | See tv-report
20. August 2009
50th anniversary celebration of Swisscontact
Federal Counselor Ms Leuthard, Nestlé chairman Mr Brabeck together with 700 guests, have been celebrating 50 years of Swisscontact in Zurich. » | Gallery
June 2009
Annual Report 2008
Swisscontact looks back at a successfull year 2008. The annual report is available in English, Spanish and French.
Swisscontact on tv and radio
Please find a selection of tv- and radio-reports in the «Service» section. |