By Juliet Aguiar DUGBARTEY, Takoradi
The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project, funded by the European Union in Ghana, has organised a graduation and close-out ceremony for 729 participants of its Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (YEE) programme in the Western Region.
The ceremony, held in Takoradi, saw the recipients awarded National Proficiency Level I certificates.
The certification and close-out ceremony aimed to officially acknowledge the participants’ acquisition of requisite skills, knowledge and values in various trade areas under the YEE programme. The areas include solar panel installation, biodigester construction, cosmetology, garment making, beads and soap-making.
In collaboration with the Ghana TVET Service, GrEEn rolled out tailor-made TVET certification courses in six trade areas in May 2022. This initiative aimed to equip participants with National Proficiency Level I Certification, enabling academic progression on the National TVET Qualification Framework and promoting decent jobs for improved quality of life.
Implemented in the Ashanti and Western Regions over the past four years, the YEE programme, formerly known as Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE), has supported over 2,000 youths, women and returning migrants through skills training. This initiative is part of Result 2 of the GrEEn Project’s intervention areas.
Barbara White Nkoala, Country Director of SNV Ghana, reiterated SNV’s commitment to youth employment and enterprise development. She stressed SNV’s market-led framework approach, which focuses on scaling and enhancing sustainability through partnerships.
The GrEEn Project, implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the UN Capital Development Fund, aims to complement the European Green Deal by promoting green and circular economies in Africa. The YEE initiative specifically focuses on improving employability and entrepreneurship capabilities in sectors of economic opportunities.
Under the YEE programme, participants received three months of basic and advanced skills training, followed by internship and on-the-job entrepreneurship training. Over 3,500 youths, women and returning migrants have benefitted from these trainings, creating self-employment opportunities in the process.
Additionally, the GrEEn Project organised business plan competitions, awarding GH¢1,814,791 in grants to 72 businessowners in 2021 and 2022. Moreover, 14 job fairs were conducted to match skills with opportunities in the green and circular economy.
Ms. Nkoala expressed appreciation to all partners for their commitment to the project’s success and thanked the participants for their dedication. She acknowledged the remarkable achievements made in supporting skills development in Ghana and emphasised the importance of promoting employment for sustainable development.
