Building opportunities for Resilience in the Horn of Africa BORESHA

Challenge

The Mandera-triangle, a shared border between Somalia, Kenya and Bonder, has been the center of conflict. Dollow in Somalia, Dollo-Ado in Ethiopa and Mandera in Kenaya lie an extremely important tri-border that has experienced armed conflict, violent crimes, extremist attacks, political instability and state failure for years. Youth living in the Mandera-triangle need relevant programs that distract them from committing crimes, migration and direct them to education and employment. Youth problems include extensive poverty and unemployment, lack of skills and capacity building opportunities. Absence of common vision and mission within youth network organizations capacity building and financial support constraints, poor coordination between the authorities, business companies and youth organizations on youth employment activities Limited youth participation in decision-making and eventually large number of youth resorted to illegal migration towards Europe, Arab and African countries in search of better life.

Project Goals

The purpose was to train youth on business development using internationally recognized comprehensive entrepreneurship program, Build Your Business (BYB) program, developed by the International Youth Foundation in partnership with Microsoft. The training focuses on building the entrepreneurial and business skills of the youth in the cross-border area, which are necessary for establishing and running their businesses. The overall objective of the training was to improve the economic opportunities for the youth and disadvantaged communities by equipping them with enterprise management skills, development of business plans, developing effective crowdfunding and guide youth to access finance. After the completion of the training, monitoring and evaluation was conducted via phone calls to training participants.

Key Activities

Shaqodoon organization was tasked with WYG to undertake on building the entrepreneurship skills and knowledge of communities in the cross-border area between Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia by training 36. TOTs in Mandera (Kenya), Dollow (Somalia) and Dollo Ado (Ethiopia), certifying 12 TOTs in total. But during the training days, 42 TOTs were recorded to be present.

Impact

Shaqodoon used its Build Your Business (BYB) and Improve Your Business (IYB) training package(s) to train the 264 entrepreneurs and business owners as well as training 36 potential business development service (BDS) providers as BYB certified Master trainers to support the entrepreneurship eco-system in Mandera, Dollow and Dollo Ado. Shaqodoon trained Trainers of Trainers (TOTs) in Mandera (Kenya), Dollow (Somalia) and Dollo Ado (Ethiopia), certifying 12 TOTs in total. But during the training days, 42 TOTs were recorded to be present.

More Details

Project Director: Mohamed Abdirahman Khaliif | Email

Location: Dolo Ado (Ethiopia), Dollow (Somalia), Mandera (Kenya)

Start Date - End Date: 10/19/2021 to 12/19/2021

Donor(s): WYG/EU

Partner(s): WYG