World Youth Skills Day- Dorin and her honey business
June 8 2020
On July 15, we join the global celebration to mark World Youth Skills Day (WYSD). Currently, nearly 16% of the world’s population are between the ages of 15 and 24 – a segment of the population that will see increased unemployment, lower quality of jobs, and greater labor market inequities. The most afflicted are likely to be women, who have a higher rate of unemployment and work insecurities due to part-time or contract-based work. To reduce this economic anxiety and to meet one of the United Nations’ goals in the Agenda for Sustainable Development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, Education 2030 devotes considerable attention to technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Designating a day of celebration brings focus to the much needed work of equipping young people with skills crucial to their personal and global success.
During this time of global pandemic, keeping the young people motivated and connected is necessary to a successful recovery. Asante Africa Foundation field leaders are working relentlessly to guide and help students in East Africa continue their education and keep them from feeling disconnected during their time at home. With a curriculum that already relies on skill development training, Asante Africa’s LEI clubs’ programs have trained its members to answer these tough times with resilience and industry. Many young Asante Africa students and alumni have recognized gaps in their social surroundings and have developed ingenious business solutions. Some students have started vegetable gardens, learnt to make soap, started food stalls, taken up beekeeping, and many other ventures that are helping their financially distressed families.
One such story is that of Dorin from Tanzania.
Born in the Kilimanjaro Region in Tanzania, Dorin is a 22 year old Asante Africa Foundation alumni. She currently lives with her family in Arusha. Having an entrepreneurial spirit but never really pursuing it, Dorin decided to start a business during these troubled times after watching her family struggle financially.
Through the LEI Summit, she acquired key entrepreneurial skills that helped her save up and start her own enterprise. She finally decided to push her business idea of packaging and selling honey. She decided to start small and now runs a honey business named ‘Ndoto Mama’ inspired by her mother who is a skilled entrepreneur. Dorin’s biggest clientele are her fellow students at Sokoine University of Agriculture where she is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Studies.
Dorin decided to sell honey because as a product it is easy to package and has a long shelf life. She hopes to expand her business to other regions and adopt new innovative techniques to scale up her business.
Additional accounts of young entrepreneurs: asanteafrica.org/success-stories
Technical and vocational skill development addresses multiple issues of economic, social, and environmental stresses by increasing entrepreneurship and prompting equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth. However, worldwide closures due to the pandemic have forced many of the TVET institutions to suspend instruction, threatening successful skill development. UNESCO estimates that 1 in 6 young people are out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery efforts will require young people to become equipped with robust skills that can easily adapt to future disruptions and challenges.
This year’s World Youth Skills Day will focus on various strategies to bring skills for resilient youth and overcoming the setbacks due to the pandemic.
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Written by Sumathi Ramanath