Evaluating the impact of a youth-focused Training for Rural Economic Empowerment (TREE)
The new development framework of the Government outlines skills development as an important means to empower people, enhance the employability of workers and increase the competitiveness of enterprises. The continued decline in economic activity in the formal economy has resulted in the growth of the informal economy. Estimates (2003) indicate that the informal economy accounted for 30 per cent of total employment, up from 23 per cent in 1995. The informal economy and micro- and small sized enterprises are seen as one way of employment creation. But there is a serious capacity gap in the formal economy partly due to qualified professionals leaving to other countries to seek employment and better living conditions.
In view of increasing the Government’s delivery capacity in improving the deteriorated infrastructure, there is a need to create partnership with small-scale enterprises through employment-intensive approaches. As a strategy for youth economic empowerment, the Government has adopted the Training for Rural Economic Empowerment (TREE) methodology.
The ILO-Sida Partnership for the biennium 2014-15 have allocated resources for the implementation of an impact assessment of the programmes implemented with the TREE methodology with the view of assessing youth employment results and possible replication of effective practices in other countries. This involves the following outputs:
In view of increasing the Government’s delivery capacity in improving the deteriorated infrastructure, there is a need to create partnership with small-scale enterprises through employment-intensive approaches. As a strategy for youth economic empowerment, the Government has adopted the Training for Rural Economic Empowerment (TREE) methodology.
The ILO-Sida Partnership for the biennium 2014-15 have allocated resources for the implementation of an impact assessment of the programmes implemented with the TREE methodology with the view of assessing youth employment results and possible replication of effective practices in other countries. This involves the following outputs:
- Institutional mechanism for planning and implementation of skills development programmes established and stakeholder capacity strengthened in the implementation of programmes that are based on the TREE methodology.
- Local economic opportunities identified and training needs assessed.
- Public and private training institutions enabled to better deliver demand oriented services to rural, informal economies.
- Training programmes designed and delivered to meet local economic opportunities.
- Post training support for wage and self-employment established.
- Impact assessment of ILO’s approach to training for rural economic empowerment conducted.
- Youth-focused TREE methodology tested and refined for possible replication in other countries.