Unemployment leaves many young people in the borderlands vulnerable to drugs, crime and recruitment by armed groups. VOPA believes new technologies can create decent jobs for disadvantaged youth.
What we did
In April 2022 VOPA trained 50 cross-border youth to operate interlocking-brick production machines and provided the machines as start-up kits for income-generating activities. Interlocking bricks are cheaper and more environmentally friendly than fired bricks, and are in demand for homes, schools and public buildings.
Beyond the training
We linked the trained youth to livelihood programmes and institutions such as Banisa and Mandera Polytechnic so they can continue to build their skills. This creates employment while reducing the number of young people drawn into drugs and criminal activity.
