17勛圖厙 vocational training boosts employment opportunities for displaced youth in Malakal
MALAKAL - Life is already difficult for the thousands of young people forced to grow up in the United Nations Protection of Civilians site in Malakal, after their families sought sanctuary during the civil wars that ravaged South Sudan.
They endure challenging living conditions and a lack of opportunities to access education as well as jobs to support themselves, and sometimes, their entire families.
To help build capacity and self-reliance, peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, provided vocational training for 50 young people, including those with disabilities. The initiative aimed to give them new practical and entrepreneurial skills, provide career guidance, as well as support in building lives outside the protection site.
I learned how to paint houses and even to mix the tints to get the best colors for potential customers, said 21-year-old Adeijesa Johnson Othami. The training has motivated me to find work in this area or even, ultimately, set up my own business.
The training, including building, carpentry, joinery and stone mason services as well as basic electricity installation, was provided by Indian peacekeepers serving with the Horizontal Maintenance Engineering Company in Upper Nile.
I learned skills that, as a woman, I never thought that I would have the opportunity to do, said 18-year-old Josephine John Kur. This kind of practical, hands-on training is invaluable, not only in terms of finding work, but also useful in our daily lives.
The community-based skills development programme aims to provide youth with job-ready skills while also reducing unemployment and fostering economic growth.
This is an ongoing programme that weve rolled out over recent years in response to requests from the local communities. Its not part of our mandate, but its an opportunity for us, as peacekeepers, to strengthen our relationships and give back to the people we serve in a very practical and impactful way, said Major Chabert Chaudry, from the Indian peacekeeping contingent.
