1. Program goal

Development of talent based enterprises of vulnerable youth in the context of remote areas and disadvantaged communities for creation of jobs and sources of livelihood

2. Target beneficiaries

Talented youth who are between the ages of 13 and 25 and are not accessing sufficient opportunities for formal education and training are involved in informal talent based activities to earn a living in the context of remote areas and disadvantaged communities.

EZT Cultural Troupe

3. The problem being addressed

Unemployment, poverty and vulnerability of the youth in the context of remote areas and disadvantaged communities due to lack of capacity development opportunities to develop their talent based activities and cultural resources for creation of viable enterprises, jobs and sources of livelihood.

3. The program idea/solution

Implementing innovative and targeted capacity development model titled – Capacity support to youth talent based enterprises for livelihood with its sets of toolkits aimed at consolidation of inborn talents and cultural skills, application of business practices and development of market including digital marketing and sharing.

EZT Brass Band

4. Activity areas of the program

i. Applying a talent identification tool to recruit into the program the youth with inborn talents but trapped in informal practices with limited growth opportunities. These include talents in performing art, cultural expressions and practices and visual arts.

ii. Applying the model (Capacity support to youth enterprises for livelihood) which includes 3 modules of training supported by the associated toolkits and aimed at consolidating and strengthening different talent areas, application of modern business principles and practices on talent based activities and services and market research and development techniques. These modules are applied at different times and on different cohorts and constituencies.

iii. Establishing and running infrastructure for ongoing training of artists in digital sharing to promote and market their artistic products and services.

iv. Ongoing linking of artists to institutions and promoters for financial and technical support to artists and artistic products and services.

v. Ongoing review and updating of the training toolkits and publication of the model

vi. Ongoing data collection for monitoring, evaluation, reporting, publication of results and promotion of the model.

6. Expected results

Folkdance

The participating youth increase incomes and stable jobs by 50% in 3 years  or get adopted in formal education and vocational training as a result of developed talents and skills, established viable talent based enterprises, increased service uptake from business support institutions and increased adoption of digital marketing and sharing.