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Acquiring technical and entrepreneurial skills ensures socio-professional integration of vulnerable young people

Niger
Labour market insertion
13.07.2021
Maman Lawan is one of the minors in a vulnerable situation who received training in food service thanks to the UNICEF-funded project that helps integrate young people affected by conflict into the labour market.

The 17-year-old Maman Lawan lives with his uncle in the Birni district of Zinder and is in a vulnerable situation: after being expelled from school in 6th grade, and having no point of reference or way to generate an income, he gradually turned to delinquency with friends in the neighbourhood.

His life changed completely when he was offered this training. He seized the opportunity and got involved in learning a trade. After the training, he was able to use some of the materials from the training, enabling him to start a small business.

Maman started selling small dishes in front of his house while waiting to find a place to set up a shop. In the first week of his business, he earned 6,500 CFA francs (CHF 11.-) in revenue per day. Little by little, he managed to save money.

Today, he has savings of 45,000 CFA francs (CHF 75.-). He plans to open a restaurant in the city of Zinder to provide quality dishes in his neighbourhood and in the city.

"I have taken steps to open a bank account. I would like to hire young people to give them the opportunity to have a job. And that would prevent them from going through the same situation like I did. At the moment, the demand is much too high compared to what I can offer in my small restaurant. Yet I can cook up to 10 kg of rice for lunch."

For the young people in his neighbourhood, Maman Lawan is becoming an exemplary point of reference with the activities he is carrying out.

The pilot project to support the socio-professional integration of juvenile prisoners (PAPJ) is financed by UNICEF and implemented by Swisscontact.