Why Youth Empowerment
Somalia has a youth population bulge of over 70% with majority being under the age of 30 years. The youth have largely been marginalized and excluded from critical sectors of the economy. Similarly, the youth have been affected by conflict, unemployment and poverty and this has led to resentment and frustration leading some of them to join militia groups and criminal gangs and others opting out to look for greener pasture abroad. DBG partners with Somalia government and other stakeholders to empower the youth by giving the youth the necessary skills, tools and opportunity to thrive and succeed.
What we Do
DBG tackles a wide range of youth challenges across regions by promoting inclusion of the youth in local governance structures, supporting and providing opportunities for youth employment, enhancing youth education and skills building, and engaging youth in peace building and participation in local governance structures.
Our Interventions
DBG works with local authorities and other partners to empower the youths by engaging them in local governance and public service delivery. This is done through youth participation in community enhancement using their ideas. Ownership of public service is achieved through building confidence between the youth and local governance structures. DBG provides vocational training that builds technical skills, supporting youth livelihoods and providing employment opportunities. In addition, DBG collaborates with the private sector to engage the youths in fishing, agriculture and livestock production.
DBG also works with the youth on peace building by constructively engaging the youths in influencing local peace and security, harnessing the power of the youth to enhance stabilization and to overcome the barriers of their exclusion.
DBG also has a robust program on education targeting the youth through expansion of access to quality education, construction/rehabilitation of education infrastructure, providing teaching and learning materials to schools, teacher training. DBG also builds the resilience of out of school youths by providing opportunities through numeracy and life skills building and entrepreneurship. DBG also supports through capacity building the School Management Committees, Community Education Committees and the local ministries.
Lastly, DBG also provides health service and nutrition support to children and lactating adolescent mothers through training of community health workers, improving basic health and nutrition services for women and children. DBG also facilitate community-based changes process aimed at reducing FGM, protection of women.
Focus Areas
DBG youth empowerment programs involve the direct participation of federal, state and local authorities, local stakeholders and donors and the wider community to advocate for;
- Support for youths’ participation in peace building, local governance decision-making at the local level through the incorporation of affirmative action principle;
- Promotion of youth economic empowerment through skills building, entrepreneurship and creating job opportunities;
- Enhance the livelihood capacities of vulnerable youths;
- Enhance access to youth education and employment opportunities;
- More responsive policy reforms locally for women, people with disabilities and other excluded groups;
- Provision of education, health and nutrition support to children and lactating adolescent girls and mothers
