Four international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the United States, have come together to announce an employment innovative initiative dubbed: “Youth Forward,” to provide young people with secured and sustainable livelihoods.

The project is also to assist economically disadvantaged people to overcome barriers such as lack of formal employment, low level of education, skills mismatches and lack of access to credit by improving their ability to find quality and expand the opportunities available to them.

The NGOs are the Global Communities based in Ghana, Solidaridad, an international development organisation, Participatory Development Associates (PDA) and the Master Card Foundation.

Mr Ishmael Adams, Project Director of Global Communities in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the Youth Forward initiative involves two consortia targeting young people aged 15-24 who are low income, out of school, unemployed or underemployed, and going through life transitions seeking jobs or becoming married.

He said the first consortium was the “Youth Inclusive Entrepreneurial Development Initiative, led by the Global Communities, which would provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the construction sector in five regions in Ghana.

“Under the project selected, the youth will be trained in business and life skills, and having opportunities to develop apprenticeship or networking while the initiative will also work to improve the capacity of the vocational training centres in Ghana,” he said.

The Project Director said the initiative would not just benefit the youth who would receive the skills needed to start a business but would also strengthen local industries and institutions and help contribute to long-term sustainable development.

“The second consortium ‘MASO’ led by Solidaridad, also focuses on creating opportunities for young people to build viable careers in cocoa communities in Ghana and support young farmers through ‘CocoAcademics’ with training in sustainable cocoa practices,” he said.

Mr Fred Frimpong, the Programme Manager of MASO said the consortium would help train all youth in social, financial, leadership and business skills while linking to networks throughout cocoa regions.

He said the youth could make a career from cocoa as an enterprise if given the skills in best production techniques coupled with supportive enabling environment.

“This will make cocoa farming more profitable and attractive to the youth and contribute to a sustainable cocoa economy for Ghana,” he said.

Mr Edem Agbe, the Coordinator of the Youth Forward initiative learning partnership said the two consortiums would be supported by a leading partner, the PDA to ensure that the lessons learned from the initiative would be shared through a “National Advisory Group” comprised of stakeholders.

“The initiative will complement government’s efforts to create decent and sustainable employment, alleviate poverty and enhance the quality of livelihoods for the youth in Ghana,” he said.

Madam Ann Miles, the Director of Programmes of the Master Card Foundation said the initiative would focus on finding practical solutions for youth employment and entrepreneurship and creating holistic approaches that provide young people with secured and sustainable livelihoods.

“The construction and agricultural sectors present promising opportunities for job growth and economic prosperity in Africa,” she said.