Context:
Sudan has a population of 40.23 million and GDP US$97.15 billion. While unemployment rate is 13.3%, unemployment among female youth (19.2%) is higher than that among male youth (11.3%). Although Sudan has the lowest average of educational attainment compared to other Arab countries (3.8 school years), it has the highest level of civic engagement as more than 20% of Sudanese youth had volunteered in an organization in 2014.
Rebuilding Darfur is a project funded by the Korean government and implemented by UNDP and the Sudanese Government since 2012 in Sudan. The project, in collaboration with three Darfur universities: Nyala, El Fasher and Zalingei, trains young volunteers to rebuild Darfur. The trained volunteers then live with Darfur communities for nine months to share their new skills and knowledge.
Implementation of programme/ initiative:
Youth Volunteers “Rebuilding Darfur” is a partnership between UNDP and the Government of Sudan. The project aims at scaling up innovative approaches for youth employment and environmental sustainability at the local level by filling the business and financial skills gap among youth and women in Darfur. More specifically, the project aims at promoting self-employment, small business expansion, and market participation for women and youth; and training young volunteers on several skills needed by the local communities at Darfur, including micro-enterprise development, green business planning and natural resource management.
Main challenges:
- N/A.
Results achieved:
So far, a total of 205 youth from all five Darfur states were trained. The youth were equipped with laptops, cell phones, solar chargers and internet connections. As of June 2015, 139 volunteers have been deployed to 47 communities. In return, those volunteers have trained and supported 14,839 community members in business and environmental management skills.
Moving Forward:
As a result of the project’s nationally owned, intensive and cost-effective approach, the involved communities build their own capacities in business skills and private sector development, sustainably contributing to poverty reduction.
Replicability:
- N/A
References:
AHDR 2016
World Bank, 2016
International Labor Organization, 2016
http://www.sd.undp.org/content/sudan/en/home/
operations/projects/crisis_prevention_and_recovery/youth_
rebuilding_darfur.html
Project Details
Date: October 10, 2017