Youth Skills & Enterprise Development Update

Project Code: GHPT-1200009 | Project Location: Ghana

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“We aim to reduce poverty by developing the youth’s skills for self-employment and widen their employability, improving their income situation to enable them to cater for themselves and members of their households.”

Dr Joseph Ayembilla
Director

About the project

The Youth Skills and Enterprise Development (YSED) Centre seeks to empower youth, creating jobs and enabling young people to contribute meaningfully to the growth of society in the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese.

The projects main objectives include:

  • Establishing a functional Youth Skills and Enterprise Centre (Completed).
  • Improving the skills of 150 youth in agri-based and hospitality services.
  • Adding to the knowledge and entrepreneurial skills of 570 youth in the region to improve their career choices and enable them to gain meaningful employment.

Renovations

Renovations of the original building are now complete with the updated building also furnished while construction of a new perimeter fence will begin soon. Construction of the dormitories is taking longer than expected, due to a number of factors including some local events beyond the control of Catholic Mission.

Perpetual's Story

“Because of the entrepreneurship training I decided that I would pursue my dream of becoming a teacher, following that I made efforts and gained admission to study my diploma in education with support from my father. I started my diploma on weekends and learn sewing skills throughout the week. I am very thankful to this project for giving me the encouragement to pursue my dreams and know the future now looks bright."

The Restaurant

Construction of the restaurant is complete and is now in operation. Restaurant equipment such as gas cylinders, burners, bowls, cooking utensils, a deep freezer, pots have been stocked in the kitchen.

Important updates

  • A 4500L polytank for water storage was constructed and is now in use.
  • One borehole has been drilled and mechanised and now provides water for activities in the Centre.
  • Three concrete fishponds were constructed and are being used to rear fish and for practical demonstrations for students.
  • Skilled teachers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture including a crop expert, livestock experts, a fishery commission and business consultant were recruited to facilitate the training of the youth at the Centre.
  • Training equipment and resources including a projector, projector screen, markers, notebooks and flip charts were purchased.
  • Students have received training in a variety of skills including crop production, fishery, caring for livestock, poultry and important foundational entrepreneurship principles.
  • Ten pigsties, a poultry farm and some rabbit pens have been constructed and stocked. The animals provide students with practical, hands-on experience.

Challenges

COVID-19

The pandemic’s resulting lockdown has created extensive challenges with bans of social gatherings, restricted movement to Acrra and Kumasi, and closures of the hospitality sectors.

COVID-19 has had many knock-on effects including falls in acceptable prices for pigs and poultry products which has reduced the available income for the Centre.

Mortalities of animals

Unfortunately, the Centre has faced challenges regarding mortalities of 464 fish and 15 piglets. These mortalities have obvious impact of reducing the quantities of production.

The Centre has acknowledged an over dependence on distant fingerling suppliers and has begun liaising with other producers in the region to find feed producers and fingerling suppliers closer to home. Unfortunately, due to overcrowding and an algae forming in the water there were 464 mortalities. To address this, the farm has reduced stock numbers and cleaned the tanks of the algae.

Additional pens have been constructed to address the mortalities of pigs. The Centre has also engaged both the veterinary and fisheries department to help with addressing this issue.

What does the future hold?

This project continues to produce good results, empowering youth, equipping them with vital work skills and enabling them to successfully enter the workforce and in some cases create their own businesses. Catholic Mission is excited to see what the YSED Centre and its students achieve in the future.