About the Programme
Emerge Livelihoods, formerly Mzuzu Entrepreneur Hub, is implementing the Green Jobs for Adolescents and Youth Project through a consortia of SCI Malawi, ADRA, CRECCOM, TEVETA and Mzuzu University with support from Save the Children International – Italy. The project promotes vulnerable adolescents and youth (15–24 years) towards enhanced employable skills and income, engaged in safe and sustainable livelihoods, have access to Sexual Reproductive Health Rights- SRHR information and services for successful transition to adulthood. The Project implementation areas are Mzimba (Northern Malawi) and Ntcheu (Central Malawi) districts running from within the period of June 2023 and March 2026.
The project adopts a two-phased implementation approach. The first phase builds on previous initiatives, namely the “Malawi Youth Economic Empowerment Project” in Ntcheu and the “Youth Transition from Poverty to Formal TEVET and Employment Project” in Mzimba. In Mzimba, Emerge Livelihoods collaborated with Save the Children International – Malawi to implement the Youth Transition from Poverty to Formal TEVET project, aiming to create pathways for 200 youths (100 females, 100 males) aged 15-24 from ultra-poor families to access formal Technical, Entrepreneurial, and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET), enhance employability, and increase income opportunities. In Ntcheu, Save the Children International – Malawi led the Youth Economic Empowerment project, targeting 400 participants to foster economic empowerment through TEVET skills, enabling them to transition out of poverty. The second phase introduces a new cohort through a ‘green jobs’ initiative targeting 200 youths in Mzimba and Ntcheu.
Problem Statement
Povertyremains a major developmental challenge in Malawi, with an estimate of 50.8% of its population being poor as well as youthful, with 23.6% living in ultra- poverty (Malawi Poverty Report, 2020). Children below 18 years’ account for more than half of the total population with a majority (i.e., 60.5%) living in multi-dimensional poverty (Malawi NSO report, 2018).
Due to the high youth unemployment rates, many young people end up being more vulnerable to risks and chronic intergenerational poverty, including push factors for unsafe migration internally and externally in search for employment opportunities with negative impacts on local economies, and reinforcing gender imbalances around childcare and employment opportunities. Youth in the target districts have limited skills to enter into green or other jobs or training opportunities. A major cause of this is low educational attainment to engage in “traditional skills”. Most youth are not supported to transition from secondary school to TEVET/apprenticeships through complementary skills training, for example communication, leadership and business management
The Green Jobs for Adolescents and Youth contributes to addressing lack of employable skills and income for sustainable transition of young people to adulthood, which contributes to environmental protection and restoration by addressing these three immediate causes:
- Lack of decent jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities
- Lack of green skills that contribute to positive social and environmental outcomes (including technical, vocational and financial skills)
- Youth facing gender inequality, limited opportunities, ableism and gender based violence and do not have a platform to voice their needs and ideas
Project eligibility
- Age: Must be 15-24 years old
- Out of school: at least attended primary level education
- Not already enrolled/previously enrolled under any skills development related project
- Member of an active youth club.
- From ultra-poor households:
- Food not lasting more than 3 months after harvest
- No livestock and other productive assets
- Limited cultivable land
- Labour constrained households
Location: Ntcheu and Mzimba districts