USG provides job training to 2,500 youth in Senegal

The United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide job training to 2,500 youth as part of an Education project called Passerelles, or “Pathways” in French.

Since 2018, USAID’s Passerelles project has been offering alternative education options to children and youth in the Casamance and Kedougou regions. Activities under this project are implemented by USAID’s partner, FHI 360. This month, FHI 360 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Save the Children and the Fonds de Financement de la Formation Professionnelle et Technique (3FPT), a vocational and technical training fund financed by the Government of Senegal, to provide job training to 15 to 19 year olds in southern Senegal. 

The project offers alternative education pathways to  youth who have never attended traditional school or dropped out prior to completing their studies. To combat access and attrition issues, Passerelles helps youth attending Koranic schools, community-based schools, or accelerated learning classes to gain foundational skills in French and Math, allowing them to gain a basic education before transitioning to more formal schooling.

Through this public-private partnership between FHI 360, 3FPT, and Save the Children, youth will be trained in local industry and thriving economic sectors. This training will translate to higher employment rates for youth who otherwise would not have the access or opportunity to receive an education. Partnerships such as these demonstrate USAID’s continued engagement with the Government of Senegal and the private sector to improve education and youth employment opportunities.

USAID has been operating in the Education sector in Senegal since the establishment of the Agency in 1961. This work continues to this day, in part through projects like Passerelles. USAID is committed to its role as a key development champion in Senegal, as it has been for the past 60 years, working with individuals, communities and the government to improve everyday lives.