YARD-LIBERIA has officially launched phase two of the Youth Rising Project in Harbel City, Margibi County.
The launching program brought together students, school authorities, local government officials, religious leaders, and civil society organizations.
Speaking on the topic, “The Importance of Females Involvement in Technical Vocational Education”, the keynote speaker, E. Timotheus Kamaboakai, Head of YMCA Liberia, called on females to take advantage of the technical vocational education programs at the Harbel Multilateral High School.
He encouraged girls to develop a positive mindset if they are to compete with their male counterparts.
Kamaboakai, at the same time underscore the importance of TVET education to youth empowerment, which he stated is part of the national youth strategy.
The strategy, among other things, highlights for TVET to be inclusive in Liberian curriculum for every high school student.
“We think that everyone coming out of high school should have skill training to complement their high school education,” Kamaboakai emphasized. According to him, it is one of the easiest ways to get employment.
The YMCA-Liberia boss also used the occasion to thank YARD-Liberia and its partners, EU-Liberia and UNIDO, for providing an opportunity for females and marginalized youth in society to make maximum use of the benefit of the larger society.
Amongst other things, Phase ll of the program places specific emphasis on the prevention of sexual gender-based violence in schools and neighboring communities.
Moreover, it also seeks to increase awareness for vulnerable groups, especially women/girls and persons with disabilities, to improve their enrolment and participation.
As part of the project and with funding from the European Union in Liberia, and United Nations Industrial Organizations (UNIDO) YARD-Liberia Inc. is carrying on awareness in Division 44, Unification City, Charlesville, and Newdowen to increase enrollment at the TVET sector at the Harbel Multilateral High School upon completion in the coming months.
The milestone empowerment project is also providing material and technical support to Harbel Multilateral High School and other TVET institutions across the country.
Meanwhile, the meaningful youth-driven project has captured key development partners and entities to include European Union in Liberia, UN in Liberia, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which are providing support while relevant government line ministries and agencies provide effective monitoring and supervisory role that covers education and youth and sports.