YIEDIE is a five-year project designed to create economic opportunities in Ghana’s construction sector for economically disadvantaged youth, implemented by Global Communities in partnership with Mastercard Foundation. YIEDIE will directly reach at least 23,700 of these youth with training in technical, life and/or entrepreneurship skills leading to employment.

The project applies an integrated youth-led market-systems model to improve the capacity of youth and service providers across the value chain. Youth will benefit from having job opportunities and higher income. Sector stakeholders—such as private sector firms, financial service providers, training institutions and government—are expected to benefit from improved coordination and capacity.

YIEDIE targets five of Ghana’s six largest cities—Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ashaiman and Tema. The project will target the approximately 113,000 17-24 year olds in these cities who have dropped out of school, living on less than $2/day. YIEDIE has two objectives:

• Increased employment (including self-employment) in the construction sector by targeted youth; and
• Increased coordination and support for a better enabling environment by construction sector stakeholders.

YIEDIE has five components:

• Access to Financial Service Providers Capable of Serving Youth
• Access to Demand-Driven Training and Service Providers
• Youth Enterprise Start-Up and Recruitment by Employers
• Collaboration for Positive Government Policies

For the YIEDIE Consortium, Global Communities is joined by:

• Opportunities Industrialization Centre Ghana (OICG)
• African Aurora Business Network LLC (AABN)
• HFC-Boafo Microfinance Services Ltd. (HFC-Boafo)
• Artisans Association of Ghana (AAG)

YIEDIE is expected to reach at least 25% of the potential population with information about YIEDIE to encourage enrollment, with at least 23,700 youth directly served through targeted training, new jobs/better employment, increased income and increased savings. Over 14,000 youth will gain technical construction skills through participating in an apprenticeship program, enhanced with entrepreneurship, life skills and safety and health training. Other youth will receive the training that they need to become entrepreneurs in the construction sector along with support in microenterprise start-up or growth.  All youth will receive financial literacy education.

Expected Impact: Outcomes for the 23,700 targeted youth include an increased income for 90%; 90% with new jobs or better employment; and increased savings by 90%.