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Education Above All Foundation and Silatech Host Series of Events at UNGA calling for children and youth empowerment to accelerate pursuit of SDGs

23th September 2023, New York– Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, a leading global education foundation, and Silatech, an international development organisation, hosted four major side events  to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The events brought together over 400 leaders, experts, youth, and academics, and highlighted the importance of funding education, remote work, climate change education, and AI, in providing marginalised and vulnerable communities around the world with opportunities to improve their lives. Together, these events have made significant contributions to advancing several SDGs in developing countries, including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

The events were:

  • “The Precarious Role of AI in the Effort to Provide Inclusive, Equitable Access to Higher Education for the Most Marginalised”, hosted by EAA Foundation’s Al Fakhoora programme, the Qatar Fund for Development, and the International Institute of Higher Education, 15 September 2023.

Notable speakers included the University of the Andes (Colombia), Rutgers University and Schmidt Futures, and Jeffrey D. Sachs from the Centre for Sustainable Development, Canada. Professor Sachs emphasised that the biggest hurdle to universal education was a lack of funding, and stated: “Education is the paramount investment for society. Listen to Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser: ‘Education Above All.’ Mean it.”

  • “Investing in climate change and education for a greener future,” hosted by EAA Foundation’s Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) Programme and Silatech on 16 September 2023.

Speakers included Mr Ahmed Mohammed Al Sada, Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Qatar; Mr Ayman Cherkaaui, Director, Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection Kingdom of Morocco; Mr. Asif Saleh, Executive Director, BRAC;  Mr. Birihgton Kaoma, Global Director, SDSN Youth; Ms. Setafnia Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education UNESCO; Mr. Taha Bawa, Co-founder and CEO, Goodwall; Mr. Kevin Frey, CEO, Generation Unlimited, UNICEF and Ms. Vicky Aridi, Program Manager, Youth Economic Opportunities, 2030.

According to UNICEF’s Frey: “Climate education needs to culminate in young people taking climate action.” He stressed that knowledge should be a catalyst for tangible, youth-driven initiatives in the fight against climate change. This was supported by Mr. Asif Saleh who commented, “In every young leader lies the potential to drive change.”

Outcomes and recommendations from this session included: transparent financing for climate change education; direct funding for local youth groups and green entrepreneurs (ecopreneurs); reduction of costs for technological tools, and public-private-non government-youth partnerships; engaging youth as key stakeholders in decision and policy-making related to climate change education; and identifying innovative solutions that recognize local and indigenous knowledge.

  • “Unlocking Potential: The Power of Remote Work in Economically Empowering Vulnerable Youth”, hosted by Silatech in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the United Nations on 17 September 2023.

This High-Level Panel advocated for the recognition and mainstreaming of remote work and freelancing as decent work and career innovations. Keynote Speakers included Special Representative of the ILO to the UN, Ms Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development Director General, Dr. Hiba Ahmed, BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh, Microsoft, Global UN, and International Development Lead, Alexandre Pinho and UNICEF Generation Unlimited Brazil beneficiary Winner Happy de Assis Cajueiro.

The session recommended that remote work be recognized and mainstreamed and that vulnerable communities should have support to access remote work opportunities, also calling on the private sector to invest in infrastructure and technology to support remote work and put in place online security safeguards.

  • Elevating Education as a Win-Win for the SDGs”, by EAA Foundation, at the SDG Pavilion on 19 September 2023.

EAA Foundation’s CEO Fahad Al-Sulaiti unpacked efforts by stakeholders to unlock the potential of young people to thrive in the future world of work and bridge the digital divide using tools to improve learning and increase capacities to navigate the future. Participants included HE David Sengeh, Chief Minister Sierra Leone, Former Minister of Education, SDG4 High-Level Steering & Transforming Education Summit Advisory Committee Co-Chair, Mr. Robert Jenkins, Global Director, Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF, Dr. Luis Benveniste, Global Director for Education, World Bank, and Dr. Hiba Ahmed, Director General, ISFD, Mr. Marcos Neto, Director of Sustainable Finance Hub, UNDP, and Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, among others.

Roundtable discussants acknowledged the EAA Foundation’s contribution and importance and ongoing work supporting education in the developing world. The discussions emphasized the need for innovative solutions in education financing, including community involvement, private-sector partnerships, and exploring new funding sources.

Each event included clear outcomes that the partners would take forward. Follow-up meetings will be held at the WISE Summit, a biennial event fostering innovation in education, to be held in Doha, Qatar, on 28-29 November 2023.

Silatech and BRAC partner to promote self-employment through financial inclusion for 684,000 youth in Bangladesh

New York, 17 September 2023 – Silatech has announced a partnership with BRAC, the world’s largest development organization, to promote youth income generation through financial inclusion and unlock access to finance for 684,212 youth in Bangladesh to become self-employed.

The project, Unlocking Financial Solutions for Youth Enterprise Development was signed on the sidelines of the 78th edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York today.

It aims to address the lack of access to traditional financing resources for the youth of Bangladesh who seek to sustain, start, or expand their income-generating ventures.

Over the course of three years, the project will provide financing products to young people who do not have access to traditional banking services. Moreover, it will offer financial literacy and entrepreneurial training programs to enhance the sustainability of their ventures and improve the financial literacy and capabilities of youth entrepreneurs.

The lack of access to formal financing is a significant challenge for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh, with the World Bank estimating a financing gap of US$2.8 billion. This gap is particularly pronounced for women-led SMEs, as 60 percent of them lack collateral.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these challenges, leading to reduced income, job loss, and limited financial access for youth. The project seeks to bridge this financial gap and create meaningful economic opportunities for young people and their families.

“By promoting youth income generation through financial inclusion and empowering Bangladesh’s youth, we are confident that this project will significantly improve their livelihoods, create more employment opportunities within their ventures, and drive sustainable economic growth. Bangladesh has a huge youth population with few opportunities as it is the densest country in the world, and we are excited to partner with BRAC, the world’s largest development organization to help reduce the suffering of many youths due to lack of access to financial solutions” said Hassan Al Mulla, Silatech CEO.

Asif Saleh, the Executive Director of BRAC said, “BRAC believes in the power of youth to drive economic growth. We are extending microfinance services and combining it with financial literacy, and entrepreneurship training to young entrepreneurs from marginalized backgrounds. Our client-centric approach ensures tailored financial products, while mentorship and capacity building would help the young entrepreneurs fuel the growth of their businesses. We are excited to be partnering with Silatech in testing this innovative model to support young entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. This will help us not only to design more effective products but also understand and manage risks better.”

This partnership marks an important step towards youth economic empowerment and creating a more equitable and prosperous future for disadvantaged communities.

Nesru Abdu – Ethiopia

Life has not been easy for youth in Ethiopia. Twenty-three-year-old Nesru lost his father when he was still in secondary school, unable to complete his education or find a job in his native Ethiopia, Nesru joined the trek to neighbouring Sudan. He was hopeful that the grass was greener there, however he found out the hard way that it wasn’t. After moving from one menial job to the next, Nesru gave up and decided to return home in despair. Back home, Nesru was jobless and hopeless. However, his fortunes took a brighter turn when he learnt about the Rural Youth Enterprise Graduate Program in Ethiopia. The project is being implemented by Silatech, Qatar Fund for Development and Oromia Finance Institution to support young entrepreneurs. He decided to start his own business. Being in a rural community, Nesru collaborated with five friends to establish a business to lease agricultural equipment to farmers. They were provided with professional training in the agriculture field, and entrepreneurial skills before getting the finance to buy agricultural equipment.

The entrepreneurial business would not only provide a steady income for the youth but also increase productivity for the farmers. With the success he made, Nesru and his company are now well known in their local community.

Annual Report 2021

Silatech has launched its Annual Report for 2021 which provides an overview of its innovative programs and initiatives, highlighting local, regional, and international strategic partnerships. Furthermore, the report presents achievements and agreements for Youth in operational countries. (more…)

European Union (EU) and Silatech signed a new 10 million Euro agreement for the expansion of the “Support to Youth Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion”

The European Union (EU) and Silatech signed a new 10 million Euro agreement for the expansion of the “Support to Youth Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion” project that aims to improve youth economic empowerment in Yemen.

The new four-year project aims to deliver employment, income generation and financial inclusion to more than 40 thousand young women and men in different governorates across Yemen; through the establishment of a grant funding scheme to youth enterprises, and the provision of capacity-building to young entrepreneurs.

The new partnership builds on the successful implementation of the first three-year collaboration between the EU, Silatech and Al Amal Bank, which contributed to generating more than 30,000 jobs and economic opportunities for young Yemeni women and men. The second phase of the partnership will focus on green economy principles; notably equitable distribution of opportunity and outcome, financial inclusion, provision of innovative services through digital solutions, empowerment of women through supporting youth-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

 “The EU strongly believes that providing jobs and supporting young entrepreneurs is one of the most effective ways to enable households and communities in Yemen to manage the ongoing shocks and contribute to promoting sustainable development. We are therefore excited to continue and expand this successful partnership with Silatech and Al Amal Bank for the benefit of young women and men in Yemen,” said the EU Ambassador to Yemen Gabriel Munuera Viñals.

Silatech CEO Hassan Al-Mulla said: “Yemen has been identified as one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises by the United Nations. Our partnership with the EU and Al Amal Bank has helped youth in Yemen to cope more effectively with the economic needs, especially in the MSME sector. Through our experience in Yemen, we have learnt that financial inclusion is key for economic empowerment, which is the primary goal of this collaboration and all other economic empowerment programmes that we undertake”.

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Silatech in collaboration with Gojo & Company, Inc. (“Gojo”) is rolling out a new project, ‘Digital Financial Inclusion for Youth Economic Empowerment’, which offers digitalized financial services to 89,600 youths in Cambodia, India, and Sri Lanka to start and sustain their income generating enterprises.

The partnership was signed on the side-lines of the Third Observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

The three-year project aims to eliminate barriers in access to finance for young entrepreneurs, create income generation opportunities and promote financial inclusion and growth.

In Cambodia, India and Sri Lanka, many young people struggle to access credit facilities due to lack of proper documentation including collaterals, employment proof and credit records often required by banks and microfinancing institutions hindering their ability to engage in income generating activities to provide for their families. This was worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic which hit the informal economy hardest in many developing countries, resulting in reduced income, job loss and constraints on financial access for youth.

To build a thriving generation of youth entrepreneurs, the Smart Financial Solution will tailor-make the financial inclusion needs of the low-income youth and provide easily accessible online digital services, alternative documentation and creditworthiness, and flexible loan products designed for youth.

Arnaud Ventura, Managing Partner of Gojo said: “We are very pleased to initiate this partnership with Silatech to increase financial inclusion in order to address youth unemployment in South and Southeast Asia. Gojo, one of the fastest growing microfinance groups globally, together with its 9 inclusive financial service providers, is embracing digital technology to accelerate financial inclusion and intends to grow this strategy globally in the coming years.”

Hassan Al Mulla, CEO of Silatech said: “We are very excited for this collaboration as we strongly believe in the power of digital solutions and more specifically financial solutions in tackling the global rising issue of youth unemployment. Through this partnership, Silatech hopes to elevate the development of the micro-small & medium enterprises in South and Southeast Asia. The changing world needs young people; with new skills that are compatible with the changed realities and perspectives. Creating inclusive access to financial services contributes to improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable youths and allows young people to take control of their future and independently respond to societies’ needs.”

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Silatech, an international socio-economic development non-profit organization that connects youth to jobs and economic opportunities, has launched a new project “Mustaqbalak” in Yemen, to support over 41,000 youth economically through the provision of financing to facilitate the creation and sustainability of income generating businesses.

Mustaqbalak, or “Your Future” is a three-year project, that is being implemented in partnership with Education for Employment Foundation and Al Amal Microfinance Bank. The project utilizes digital solutions to provide financial inclusion for youth led startups and struggling micro-enterprises in the commercial and service sector.

The United Nations has described Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian and development crisis. Millions of Yemenis continue to suffer from the conflict, trapped in poverty with limited possibility for employment and livelihoods.

Yemen continues to be plagued by the conflict since 2015 which in addition to loss of lives, is tearing apart livelihoods and disintegrating the socio-economic fabric, causing Yemen to teeter on the brink of famine. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), by 2030, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Yemen will surge to 22 million, approximately 65% of the population.

Hassan Al Mulla, Silatech CEO said “We are delighted to partner with Education for Employment and Al Amal Bank to implement this new project in Yemen. Despite the ongoing war, we believe in the power of young men and women to bring about positive change and thrive in devastating times. We have witnessed before the huge impact of the MSME sector in creating economic opportunities for youth and contributing towards economic stability. This gives us confidence that Mustaqbalak will reduce vulnerability of the youth to the conflict and enhance their resilience in the face of adversity.”.

The project will see more than 25 200 young Yemenis from the country’s nine governorates (Sana’a, Dhamar, Ibb, Taiz, Aden, Hadramaut, Al Hudaydah, Hajjah and Amran) start or expand their income-generating businesses, before it is rolled over to the rest of the country further placing 16,400 youth into employment within those businesses.

The project is a step forward towards Silatech’s continued endeavors to empower young men and women, and its strategic goal to empower +5 million youth globally.

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Silatech, an international socio-economic development non-profit organization that connects youth to jobs and economic opportunities, announced a new milestone in Morocco with its partners; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and EFE-Maroc. Over 700 young men and women have been placed into jobs in various sectors including education, sales, food and beverage, and the automotive industry.

The “A Chance to Reset: Reskilling, Empowerment towards Sustainable Employment to Thrive” project aims to bridge the skills mismatch and tackle the high youth unemployment rate in Morocco, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. The project targets the placement of 8,175 youth into high demand jobs.

“The pandemic has been catastrophic for young people around the world, but it has accelerated the pace of change for organisations like Silatech to come back stronger than before. We believe that partnerships and innovative solutions are the ultimate way forward to tackle the rising global issue of youth unemployment”, stated Silatech CEO Hassan Ali Al-Mulla.

This 4-year project aims to combat the high rates of youth unemployment and underemployment that Morocco faces within its youth demography by helping them develop their skills as well as their technical expertise based on the job market needs.

“Since September 2021, and thanks to the “RESET” project, EFE-Maroc has been able to train thousands of youth across Morocco and place more than 700 job seekers into employment. Our goal is to reach 2,000 placements annually, which is achievable when we have a strong and agile ecosystem as is the case for Morocco and this is thanks to its 4 main pillars: committed public partners, a motivated private sector, high potential young people and a dedicated civil society”, said Houda Barakate, EFE-Maroc CEO.

James Carty, Deputy Director for Middle East and East Asia, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, “We are proud of what has been accomplished by this partnership with Silatech and EFE-Maroc in its first year. Programmes such as the “RESET” are extremely important, particularly in a country where 43% of the population is below the age of 24. The pandemic is the most serious health crisis the world has experienced in a long time and there has never been a greater need to tackle employment with focus and innovation. “

Various activities have been held to achieve this important milestone and facilitate access to the job market for its beneficiaries. This included organizing open days in different cities, and a virtual job fair which gathered job seekers with employers from different sectors and across the country with the support of government institutions like the National Agency for the promotion of Employment and Competencies (ANAPEC).

This project is a step forward for Morocco’s youth by providing them with the necessary training and skills required in today’s job market. Through helping to strengthen the skills of young people, Silatech and its partners are empowering an entire generation to grow not only their career but also their country. The success of this project in Morocco can hopefully be replicated in other countries that face similar challenges concerning youth unemployment and underemployment.

Silatech Launched the inaugural Youth Dialogue Series on the Sidelines of the UNGA

Silatech, a non-government non-profit, socio-economic development organization that empowers youth through capacity building, direct job placement and enterprise development for marginalized communities worldwide, has launched a powerful youth dialogue series at the side-lines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly that will help youth turn challenges into opportunities within an economic development context and through employment creation in the Middle East, North Africa region and beyond.

Within the event framework, a partnership agreement has been announced between Silatech and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). It will further create socio- economic opportunities for unemployed youth in MENA.

The partnership will launch a program together with Education for Employment Foundation (EFE) in Morocco, aiming to connect youth with decent employment. Silatech and BMGF will continue to explore interventions to advance employment opportunities in other countries in the region.

A key component of the initiative is highlighting the importance and urgency of promoting youth re-skilling and capacity building to achieve decent employment for young men and women among diverse industry sectors.

The inaugural Silatech Youth Dialogue Series, UNGA Edition held with the participation of Generation Unlimited, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the UN, was themed “The Role of Youth Socio-Economic Empowerment in Achieving Global Resilience in the Covid-19 Era.”

 The Youth Dialogue Series featured remarks by young men and women advocates representing several countries and advocacy groups from around the world to explore innovative ideas and solutions that address the challenges young people endure worldwide in alignment with the UN Youth Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

On occasion of the event, HE Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed Al Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN, commented: “The Covid- 19 pandemic has had a serious impact on young workers and those transitioning to employment, particularly young women. Qatar based organizations are actively working to provide youth with the necessary skills and connecting them from learning to employment.”

Hassan Ali AlMulla, CEO Silatech, said: “The instability of the economic landscape continues to place marginalized youth at greater risk of forced displacement, thereby inhibiting their capabilities to achieve their full potential. They are the evolutionary

catalyst that fuels change to a better future, and therefore our collaborative efforts are crucial to navigate this paradigm shift in the post-Covid19 marketplace.”

Dr Kevin Frey, CEO Generation Unlimited, commented:  “Young people today represent one-quarter of the world’s population – a generation of this magnitude has enormous opportunity to transform economic and social outcomes in line with the Social Development Goals.Yet, this is a world that is increasingly challenging for young people to navigate. With such profound shifts on the horizon, we have to take action, accelerating scalable, investable ideas and innovations that can support young people to acquire the skills they need to thrive in the world of work.“

Hassan Damluji, Deputy Director – Middle East and East Asia, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said: “Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on young people around the world, making it harder for them to access and ramp up the skills they need to build their livelihoods. This is why we are proud to work alongside Silatech to help create opportunities for the youth in Morocco, a country where 30 percent of the population is under the age of 15. As we emerge from the pandemic, this grant will help young Moroccans access trainings, job matching, and job placements in high-demand sectors, thereby providing them with opportunities to help build more resilient communities. Education for Employment is an ideal partner to execute on this ambition, given its extensive experience in youth empowerment across the Middle East and North Africa.”

Fartun, Somalia

Fartun is a young Somali woman that endured many struggles as a refugee in the Kakuma camp in Kenya. Yet, through the aid of Silatech and its partners, Fartun managed to become a successful business owner.

“I always dreamt about opening my own beauty salon but being an entrepreneur as a refugee in a foreign country was borderline impossible. Like many others, I returned to Somalia through the UNHCR Repatriation Program. I thought it would help me make a fresh start. However, I experienced many roadblocks that I did not expect. For starters, building a business from scratch requires a lot of start-up capital, which I did not have. Somalia is still recovering from a decades-long civil war and it lacks the resources to support people like me. There are no banks that offer loans to young entrepreneurs and, as a newcomer, I lacked the social networks I needed to raise money. I met many like-minded women who wanted to start their own businesses on my way from Kakuma to Kismayo. After hearing of a partnership between Silatech and the American Refugee Committee to help young entrepreneurs build their own businesses, we decided to form an 11-women cooperative, and we sent them a business proposal”.

The selection committee was eager to fund this all women collective. With the money she received, Fartun was able to fulfil her dream of opening a salon.“I am passionate about helping people, and I love our cultural beauty. I brought those together to start Fartun Beauty Salon.”

The salon offers an array of services including henna, which is very popular in Kismayo. It caters to weddings, birthdays, Eid celebrations and other events. The salon is large enough to serve up to 10 customers at a time, and the 11 women work in shifts to maximize their hours of operation.