BACKGROUND

Cabo Delgado, Mozambique’s northernmost province, has enormous economic potential, including a coastline attractive to tourism and natural gas reserves that could make it a leading natural gas exporter. Yet it faces high youth unemployment, poor access to education (especially for young women), and high rates of early marriage and gender-based violence. Since 2017, violent extremists have caused thousands of deaths, destroyed villages and government facilities, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and caused ongoing insecurity for residents. In April 2019, Cyclone Kenneth hit the region, destroying housing, public infrastructure, and farmland. Due to these crises and ongoing social exclusion, unemployment, poverty and fears about their future, many of the approximately 400,000 youth in Cabo Delgado have few economic options and can become easy targets for manipulation and recruitment by extremists, criminal networks or other negative actors.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

USAID Youth-Led will develop leadership and vocational training opportunities for youth in Cabo Delgado through a consortium of local, faith-based partners familiar with the specific challenges facing youth in the area. At-risk youth will receive targeted training to build skills necessary to make a living and participate as leaders in community conflict mitigation, reconciliation, and peace-building activities. Youth will be engaged in dialogue with key government and faith leaders to promote reconciliation and peace. Youth will create radio programs and listening clubs to strengthen community relationships and identify “connector projects,” such as music groups or sports teams, to strengthen relationships within the community. 

EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACTS                     

  • 200 youth gain vocational and entrepreneurial skills to find jobs or open small businesses.
  • 60 youth trained to lead peacebuilding principles at the grassroots level through radio programs, community programs, intergenerational and inter-faith dialogue
  • 18 youth networks trained to improve social cohesion in their communities
  • Stronger linkages established between youth and government, faith leaders, and community leaders to promote peace and mitigate conflict