Dar es Salaam. On 02 November 2022, the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar celebrated Zanzibar’s NEET (youth not in employment, education or training) modular apprenticeship programme certificate award ceremony.
The event was graced
by guest of honour Hon. Mudrik Soraga; Minister of State, President
Office; Labour, Economic Affairs and Investment who thanked the ILO and the
Government of Norway for supporting the programme which is in its second
phase.
Mr, Soraga congratulated the 90 graduates and urged them to utilise the skills and
qualifications they have gained through the six-month programme to improve
their lives and be a positive example for other young people in their
communities.
The graduates also
received special equipment and tool kits to begin their new lives as
professionals in their fields o; air conditioning and refrigeration, carpentry
as well as tailoring.
The programme is
designed to give the apprentices the
skills to become formally employed or self-employed in order to help curb Zanzibar’s
rising youth unemployment rate, which is currently 33 percent according to the
Integrated Labour Force Survey 2020/21.
Mr. Soraga assured
the young graduates that the Government of Zanzibar is committed to helping the
youth to access better self/employment opportunities:
“We have heard your suggestions
and requests for more financial support. Young people can now apply for various
government financial support and loans to start your own businesses. I urge you
to make good use of this service.”
NEET programme graduate
and youth representative, Mlinde Machano, reflected on the many
challenges facing Zanzibar’s youth and the opportunities for a better future
that he and his peers now have thanks to the programme:
“As we have
demonstrated during the plays and stories we have shared today, many of us
young people fall into drug abuse and end up living in poverty because we have
no education of skills. This programme has given many of us the chance to
improve our lives…we would like to sincerely thank our government, the ILO and
the Government of Norway for the NEET programme.”
ILO Programme and
Operations Officer Mr, Adame Traore on behalf of ILO Country Director, Mr,
Wellington Chibebe thanked the Government of Zanzibar for the successful
conclusion of the programme’s second phase and shared ILO’s commitment to
ensure the sustainability of the programmes’ impact:
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