Case Study: Youth Entrepreneurship for Resilience in the Central African Republic
CASE STUDY
Youth Entrepreneurship for Resilience in the Central African Republic
Successive crises in the Central African Republic have weakened public and private institutions, led to the destruction of social and educational infrastructure, and worsened people’s living standards. Young people are particularly affected, as they often have not yet developed basic skills and, if not integrated into social life, easily become targets for recruitment by armed militias (UN OCHA 2023b).
Against this background, the project Agricultural Vocational Training for Unemployed and Internally Displaced Youth aims to help make the lives of young people between the ages of 18 and 35 in the Bangui region more socially and economically stable and reduce migration and crime. The project trains participants in several agricultural sectors and—supplemented by another project—helps them start their own businesses so they can sustainably integrate into community economic and food systems.
Nazaire Namkomana is a graduate of the agricultural vocational training center for poultry farming, which he entered in 2019. With his new skills, he can generate income and ensure his family’s food security. “Before the training I had to worry about providing for my family; sometimes we didn’t have enough to eat,” he says. “Now my children’s schooling is assured. I had no knowledge of poultry farming or any possibility of practicing it, although I had a passion for the field. After the training, I started to run a flock of 50, then 100, then 150 chicks, and I have now ordered 200 chicks.”
After his training, Nazaire shared his skills with other young people: “My aim is to turn my unit into a large production company so that I can not only look after my family and send my children to top schools but also reduce poverty among young people in my community.”