Focus on youth empowerment, poverty reduction in Gambia

The statistical analysis revealed that the income of the beneficiaries had increased from the level it was before the intervention by YEP.

In order for YEP to implement its roles and responsibility wholly, funding constraints is a challenge that cannot be ignored, as well as  inclusiveness and participation of youth in developing the project, availability of start-up funds to beneficiaries after training, willingness of employers of labour and their availability to absorb beneficiaries after training, and inadequate business management skills displayed by beneficiaries after training before start of business.

 YEP has positively influenced youth empowerment in the urban area of The Gambia despite all the challenges being faced by the project.

The project has given rise to an improved means of livelihood and consequently, the standard of living of its beneficiaries.  These were with a view to assessing YEP as it relates to employment generation in the urban area of The Gambia.

The result revealed that an overwhelming majority of both YEP and implementing partners and beneficiaries agreed that YEP did not only perform in all aspects but also has been effective as regards the role they have played in raising standard of living through employment generation, vocational and entrepreneurial skills acquisition though in varying degrees, which means that there are still room for improvements in some of the aspects.

The study also found that the performance of YEP had a significant positive effect on their monthly income.

It says the project has given rise to an improved means of livelihood and consequently, the standard of living of its beneficiaries.