Lomé, 7th December 2024 – (©AfreePress)- To strengthen training and employment opportunities for Togolese youth, Compassion International Togo and the Education and Development Agency (AED) signed a strategic partnership on Friday, December 6, 2024. This collaboration is based on the Institutes of Alternance Training for Development (IFAD), centers of excellence dedicated to practical training and professional integration.
The challenges faced by Togolese youth, especially young people who do not have the means to pursue a university course, are numerous. In particular, it is a question of finding training that best meets the needs of the labor market. It is with this in mind that the Work-Study Institutes for Development have been created to prepare young people for the vocational baccalaureate in the fields of aquaculture, livestock, building trades and renewable energies.
This partnership provides for the training of 300 young participants from Compassion International Togo’s programs, with a budget of 600 million CFA francs (968167$), entirely financed by Compassion International. For the 2024-2025 school year, 50 young people have already joined the program, including 39 at IFAD-Building, 3 at IFAD-Livestock and 8 at IFAD-Aquaculture.
« By supporting young people in IFADs, we are offering them a unique opportunity to become competent and committed actors in local development. This project goes beyond vocational training. It is an investment in their future and that of their communities, » said Koffi Ahonon, National Director of Compassion International Togo.
Under the terms of the agreement, Compassion International Togo will cover all costs related to the training, including registration, schooling, supplies and travel for the participants. In collaboration with AED, the NGO will organize information and awareness-raising sessions to maximize the reach of this program.
For its part, the Education and Development Agency (AED) will provide its expertise in educational and vocational guidance, while ensuring that young people receive training leading to certification and adapted to the needs of the market. The agency also plans to develop specific programs for those who cannot integrate traditional IFADs.
« This initiative represents a decisive step in our mission to equip young people with the skills they need to effectively integrate into the professional world. Together, we are providing concrete solutions to the challenges of employment, » said Dammipi Noupokou, General Director of AED.
For more than 16 years, Compassion International Togo has been committed to the integral development of children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds, with the mission of « releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name ». The organization now supports more than 86,000 young people across the country, indirectly reaching nearly 500,000 people.
Created in 2018 by presidential decree, AED plays a central role in the implementation of IFADs, which are positioned as a pragmatic response to youth unemployment. These institutes, which are perfectly in line with national development ambitions, offer promising prospects for Togolese youth who are better prepared for the realities of the job market.
Anika A. and Espoir K.
