Partnering for the economic empowerment of young people in Tillabery region

From September 8-10 2020, the Tillabery Youth Economic Empowerment Project (TYEEP) organised a workshop, funded by the PATRIP Foundation. This workshop, supported by the Country Director of World Vision in Niger, saw the participation of several partners and local NGOs.

Co-funded by World Vision Germany through support of 390,000 Euros and by the PATRIP Foundation through support of 1,500,000 Euros, TYEEP targets 16,070 direct beneficiaries and 66,300 indirect beneficiaries in the municipalities of Tera, Djagourou and Makalondi. TYEEP is implemented by World Vision (Niger and Germany offices), in partnership with local NGOs AMIN & SUBA SOOLA. The project will run for two years (January 2020 - December 2021) and is assigned to the Tillabery region.

Overall, the project aims at the integration and economic and social development of young people in cross-border areas by encouraging cooperation and exchanges. More specifically, it aims to increase the capacity and resilience of young people by becoming positive influencers and role models for the transformation of conflicts on the Niger - Burkina Faso border.

The PATRIP Foundation collaborates with partners in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and recently in West Africa in Liptako gourma. It is an Integrated Regional Programme, which aims to stabilise the most fragile cross-border areas through the promotion of conflict resolution mechanisms between communities among themselves and with state administration.

Faced for several years with frequent attacks by the Armed Opposition Groups (GOA), the Tillabery region faces growing security instability, which makes economic activities in this area difficult.Thus, the project aims to increase the economic opportunities of young people. This would reduce their involvement in conflicts, thanks to the modernisation of vocational training centres, agricultural and subsistence infrastructures, the improvement of knowledge and capacity of young people to engage in conflict transformation initiatives, communities more secure through the functioning of an information, and the establishment of protection mechanisms with the participation of religious leaders.

Despite the recurring difficulties in this region, the town halls are available and committed to collaborate and participate in the implementation of project activities. The local NGO partners (SUBA SOOLA and AMIN) have likewise each drawn up an outline of the approach and implementation strategy, taking into account the security context and the realities of the areas of intervention.

"I wish you to succeed in the bet which is to succeed in a stabilisation project in a difficult humanitarian context which is deteriorating day by day" said the Country Director for World Vision in Niger, Yves Habumugisha, during his intervention.

After various presentations and rich discussions that followed, the workshop of the PATRIP project ended with the words of the National Director of World Vision Niger and the Project Manager who did not fail to greet and thank all the participants, the local NGO partners.