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Showcasing Vocational Skills Development to the youth of Morogoro

Tanzania
Initial vocational education and training
10.11.2023
Promoting and raising awareness of vocational skills development (VSD) has been centre stage in Morogoro recently. Across the region, around 13,000 people participated in a series of five mini-Skills Bonanzas in the districts of Malinyi, Mlimba, Kilosa, Mvomero, and Gairo. During these events, trained youth showed off their skills in competitions linked to VSD. These games included creating clothing from cutting different types of paper to demonstrate tailoring skills and grinding the white meat (copra) from a coconut to show an aspect of food processing.

The Swiss Embassy which is funding the Skills for Employment Tanzania (SET) implemented by Swisscontact and Opportunity for Youth Employment (OYE) implemented by SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation), worked with both in the organisation of the Skills Bonanzas. The purpose of the bonanzas is to increase awareness of VSD and improve its reputation, as well as raising the visibility of the projects in the local communities. Both SET and OYE have been supporting youth, aged 15–24, including young mothers to gain skills and knowledge in different types of VSD, especially in the agricultural sector, such as horticulture, poultry production, food processing, beekeeping, goat herding and fish farming. These skills are a key aspect of equipping youth to generate an income through self-employment.

Youth in Mlimba engaged in a competition using flip charts, newspaper and other types of paper to design and create clothing, a practical aspect of the tailoring training provided through the SET project.

Youth from both SET and OYE projects in each district competed with each other and demonstrated their creativity, aligning with the training they received. In each competition, one youth representative was chosen as the winner. Each district awarded five winners from the different competitions. These winners will come together to compete in a regional Skills Bonanza in Morogoro town on 2nd December, which will also bring together government leaders, stakeholders, community members, private sector representatives and other invited guests.

Blandina Shirima, one of the contestants from Malinyi district, summed up her participation as follows:

"The Skills Bonanzas have given us the opportunity to showcase our creativity and confidence and to demonstrate our skills. I’m happy to have participated in the SET project. Now I’m working in chilli production because of the vocational training that I received, and that’s enabling me to support myself financially and build a business."
Youth from Gairo district competing in the coconut meat grinding competition. Judges with stopwatches accurately measure the fastest contestant.

Header Picture [1]: In Tanzania, a bonanza serves as the preferred platform for bringing people together, particularly at a specific event, to effectively convey messages to targeted groups. Bonanzas involve various sports, games, and diverse activities in which people, especially youth, actively participate.

Tanzania
Initial vocational education and training, Labour market insertion
Skills for Employment Tanzania

The Skills for Employment Tanzania (SET) Project seeks to improve self-employment prospects among the youth through the contribution to improved access, relevance and quality of vocational skills development.
Youth have difficulty finding employment due to limited access to skills training and a mismatch between available skills training and the...
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