Finding paid work as a young adult in Mali is difficult. The youth unemployment rate is as high as 32% in certain regions. Since 2018, HI has been helping young people obtain the qualifications and financial support they need to earn a living. Many young entrepreneurs are launching businesses that will have a positive environmental impact.
Skills and financial support
Dicko, a young father and experienced electrician explains how HI is helping to realise his ambitions:
“I wanted to grow my business but I wasn’t able to take on larger jobs because I couldn’t pre-finance all the materials needed. After presenting my business plan to HI, I received training in how to install and repair solar panels as well as a grant to buy equipment”.
A solar solution
“Specializing in solar energy means I have unique skills. I want to help market solar energy materials and equipment in Mali and convince people to invest in solar products. My dream would be to employ others in my solar electricity business to help fight unemployment in my region.”
Hope for a brighter future despite multiple crises
Since 2012, the challenges in Mali have multiplied. Increasing criminality, the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the presence of armed groups that use extreme violence have caused hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. Increased climate disruption - intense flooding and droughts – have accentuated the severity of the crisis resulting in almost 7 million people needing humanitarian assistance.
HI has already helped 50 young Malians to find employment in the solar energy sector. By the end of 2021, 3,000 young people like Dicko will have accessed the training and resources they need to work towards a stable and sustainable future.
