YES Phase II

Youth Employment and Skills Project, Phase II

When: August 2024 to June 2025
Where: 5 communities, West Mamprusi Municipality, North East Region
Funded by: Vibrant Village Foundation

The problem

Young people in five underserved communities face unemployment, limited access to finance and too few resources to start a business.

Phase II aimed to lift their economic agency and social status in the family and society, through savings groups, skills, start-up equipment and access to employment.

What we did

Youth economic empowerment: 57 young people trained in business and financial management, 29 skilled young people given start-up equipment, and 5 linked to the National Apprenticeship Programme.
Skills and savings: five Village Savings and Loans Associations set up, members trained in financial literacy and leaders in leadership; 11 young people supported with vocational skills training.
Stakeholder engagement: forums and community and institutional review sessions for participation, accountability and learning.
Monitoring and learning throughout, to track progress and improve the work.

Results

young people trained in business and financial management57 young people trained in business and financial management

skilled young people given start-up equipment29 skilled young people given start-up equipment

members in four fully working savings groups92 members in four fully working savings groups

saved by members, who took GHS 19,000 in loansGHS 24,895 saved by members, who took GHS 19,000 in loans

What changed

Savings groups that work

Four of the five groups were fully operational, with 72% average attendance at meetings.

Stronger money skills

Financial literacy and savings groups improved members' saving, borrowing, money management and access to capital.

Businesses that last

Of 47 young people assessed, 91% still ran their businesses, in tailoring, hairdressing, weaving, carpentry and soap making.

Photos from YES Phase II

A community meeting under a shelter — Community meeting, October 2024.

A make-up trainee at work on a client — A make-up trainee at work.

Participants at a review session — Review session, January 2025.

Barichiso Imoro learning make-up artistry — Barichiso Imoro, make-up apprentice.

A RAG officer speaks at a community meeting — Community meeting, October 2024.

Stakeholders at a forum around a table — Stakeholder forum.

Young people at a savings group training — Savings group training.

BRIDGE II is running now

Helping 150 young people, 28 Gender Model Families and 5 savings groups earn more, save more and make decisions together, building on what YES and BRIDGE I achieved.

Support BRIDGE II About BRIDGE II

More projects

All projects

Women and men seated in a large circle at a community session in West Mamprusi

Running now · July 2026 to June 2027

BRIDGE II

Helping 150 young people, 28 Gender Model Families and 5 savings groups earn more, save more and make decisions together, building on what YES and BRIDGE I achieved.

A young woman receives a boxed sewing machine at the handover

July 2025 to June 2026

BRIDGE I

13 young people set up in business, 28 Gender Model Families, and savings groups that saved GHS 67,180.

Hair dryers and sewing machines ready for a start-up kit handover

August 2023 to June 2024

YES Phase I

150 young people trained in leadership, group dynamics and advocacy in five communities; start-up equipment for 29 young women.