Vocational Future for Youth - in Partnership with Plan International

An economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic have severely impacted Ecuador. Many young people are unemployed. There is a lack of vocational and educational opportunities for young people to gain a foothold in the job market. In our project, we support young women and men in starting their own businesses. With entrepreneurial knowledge, technical training, and start-up capital, we help them to establish their own companies.

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Project Duration: July 2023 - July 2026

 

Goals:

- Social and economic inclusion of young people

- Improvement of maternal and child health

 

Measures:

- Entrepreneurial training for 220 youth and young adults

- Start-up capital and support for business creation

- Job application training and mentoring for 125 job-seeking youth

- Establishment of two digital education centers

- Health services for 400 pregnant women and mothers with young children

- Workshops for 300 fathers on active fatherhood 

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Context and Background

In Ecuador, one in five young people is neither employed nor in education or training (NEET). In 2022, this figure represented 18.5% of Ecuadorians aged 15 to 24. The rate is especially high for young women, with 26.5% classified as NEET, compared to 11.2% for young men. Traditional gender roles contribute to this disparity, as women are often expected to focus on household responsibilities, childcare, or caring for relatives. As a result, fewer women are in paid employment and contribute less to family income.

 

A shortage of vocational and educational opportunities hinders many young Ecuadorians from progressing in their careers and improving their future prospects. Many youth aspire to start their own businesses but lack the necessary skills and financial means.

 

In the project regions of Cotopaxi and Santa Elena, school dropout rates, teenage pregnancies, and chronic malnutrition have surged in recent years. These issues worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated an existing economic crisis. Ecuador’s GDP shrank by 7.5% in 2020 due to the pandemic.

 

While the economy is slowly recovering, poverty, particularly in rural areas, negatively affects children’s development. In Santa Elena, for instance, 40% of children under five suffer from malnutrition. Contributing factors include poverty, frequent diarrhea, low birth weight, breastfeeding challenges, and limited knowledge about proper nutrition and disease prevention, alongside restricted access to nutritious food. 

 

Our Goals

This project aims to provide young people in rural areas, especially young women, with opportunities for meaningful employment. Since 2017, we have supported youth in establishing their own businesses to secure their livelihoods, and this project builds on that foundation.

 

Through the project, 220 youth and young adults aged 15 to 24 receive training to strengthen their vocational and entrepreneurial skills. We offer professional guidance and start-up capital to support the establishment of businesses, helping them enter and sustain a position in the market. To increase employment prospects, 125 young men and women receive training to develop their soft skills and learn essential job application skills, including CV writing and interview techniques.

 

The project also targets the reduction of widespread child malnutrition and enhancement of maternal-child health. Recognizing that malnutrition can begin in the womb, we provide 400 pregnant women with vitamin- and nutrient-rich foods and access to healthcare services, including prenatal check-ups, vaccinations, and growth monitoring. Special attention is given to fathers and husbands, who participate in workshops promoting active fatherhood.

 

The project region encompasses ten municipalities in Santa Elena and ten in Cotopaxi, directly involving 2,000 participants. An additional 6,000 community members, primarily families of the participants, benefit indirectly from the project’s activities. 

 

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

 

Generating Income for Youth and Their Families

We support 120 young people, including men and women who, through previous projects, established businesses like bakeries and farms. To enhance their market presence, they receive refresher training, especially in marketing. Additionally, we assist 100 new project participants in launching businesses, which may be either sole proprietorships or cooperatives.

 

We begin with market research in each region to identify promising sectors. Following this, the 100 youth participate in workshops to refine their business ideas and acquire industryspecific skills relevant to their chosen sectors.

 

Around 20 businesses receive start-up capital in the form of materials and machinery. Working with a marketing firm, these businesses develop logos, labels, and promotional materials, allowing them to effectively present themselves at trade shows and markets. Both new and previously established businesses receive support to participate in local fairs.

 

Fostering Employability

We conduct training sessions on soft skills for 75 young women and 50 young men, helping them with CV writing and interview skills. They also learn basic Word and Excel skills. A mentoring program supports them during their job search. Mentors review their applications, offer improvement tips, and conduct mock interviews. We also establish digital competence centers in the communities, where youth and other residents can improve their digital skills, assisting 125 young people in finding stable employment.

 

To foster the economic inclusion and empowerment of young women, we work to raise awareness of this issue among local authorities and businesses. A communications campaign in local media, particularly radio, spreads the message. Together with the youth, we organize events for 500 parents, community leaders, and spouses to encourage their support for young women and men in their entrepreneurial activities and job searches.

 

Promoting Maternal and Child Health

To combat malnutrition in young children, we improve access to healthcare for 400 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers with children under two. These women receive essential health services, including prenatal care, vaccinations, blood tests, and growth monitoring. Transportation costs are covered for women who live far from health centers. The 400 women also receive packages of vitamin- and nutrient-rich foods to ensure a balanced diet for their children.

 

Group consultations provide information on pregnancy health, breastfeeding, child nutrition, and the importance of maternal health records, as well as gender equality and fathers' roles. Workshops on active parenting involve 300 fathers. Additionally, we train 40 healthcare workers on maternal and child health, covering topics such as prenatal and postnatal care, nutrition, breastfeeding, anemia treatment, and HIV screening.

 

Awareness campaigns address teenage pregnancy, malnutrition, gender equality, and child protection, with information distributed via radio, SMS, WhatsApp, and printed materials in Spanish and the local Quechua language.  ​