After three years of successful implementation, the Pathways for Sustainable Employment for Women and Youth in Ghana (PASEWAY) Project, facilitated by Plan International Ghana, has come to a close, with a resounding call for its extension.
Launched in 2019 through a collaborative effort between Plan International Ghana and Plan International Germany, the project received a grant of €3.4 million with the aim of empowering young individuals in the construction and hospitality sectors across various regions of Ghana.
The PASEWAY Project, driven by the need to address youth unemployment, targeted young women and men between the ages of 15 and 35. Three local non-governmental organizations, namely, Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa (YOTA), formerly known as Youth Empowerment Synergy (YES-Ghana), Vocational Training for Females (VTF Programme), and Regional Advisory Information and Network System (RAINS), spearheaded the project’s implementation. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) provided crucial funding support.
At its core, the project aimed to equip young people with the necessary skills to secure employment or establish their own businesses. By doing so, it contributed to the broader government priority of expanding youth employment opportunities in Ghana and promoting decent work. Throughout the project’s duration, over 1,800 young women and more than 2,400 young men received comprehensive training in both soft and technical skills related to the hospitality and construction sectors in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Northern Regions.
Solomon Tesfamariam, the Country Director of Plan International Ghana, expressed his concerns about youth unemployment, not only in Ghana but also in several African countries. He highlighted that the PASEWAY Project was launched as a proactive response to this socio-economic challenge. Notably, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation, leading to limited formal employment opportunities in both the hospitality and construction sectors. However, despite these challenges, the project’s impact was significant, with over 50 percent of the youth who completed internships successfully securing formal employment.
Moreover, the PASEWAY Project recognized the potential of entrepreneurship and supported over 200 young individuals with start-up tools and packages to establish their own businesses. By partnering with identified skills centres, it provided youth-led microenterprises in the informal sector with the necessary capacities to register their businesses formally.
As a result, more than 500 micro-enterprises were supported in registering with the Registrar General Department, Ghana Revenue Authority, and SSNIT, enhancing their business credibility and creating brand identities. This, in turn, improved their access to contracts from government and private entities.
During a stakeholders’ meeting held in Accra to mark the close-out of the PASEWAY Project, Mr. Tesfamariam congratulated the beneficiaries for seizing the opportunities presented to them, thereby enhancing their skills, acquiring certifications, and registering their small businesses. He encouraged them not to underestimate humble beginnings but to approach the future with hope, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to success.
Reflecting on the achievements of the project, participants shared valuable insights and lessons learned, aiming to inform future strategies for implementing similar projects to achieve even better results.
As the PASEWAY Project concludes its successful three-year journey, its impact on empowering Ghana’s youth and women for sustainable employment cannot be overstated. With its accomplishments serving as a solid foundation, the project calls for an extension to continue supporting the country’s young generation in accessing decent work opportunities, nurturing entrepreneurship, and fostering economic growth.
