Yes Tanzania | © Helvetas / Stella Oguma

Skills, Jobs & Income

Access to basic education, vocational training, and income-generating opportunities is essential to lift communities out of poverty.
© Helvetas / Stella Oguma

Lack of education perpetuates inequality around the globe, and poor countries cannot compete without a skilled workforce. As education becomes more accessible, Helvetas works to enhance the quality of education and to address the next requisite for prosperity: building a labor market that is diverse, fair and stable.

Creating bright futures for youth

More than 40 percent of the world’s population is under age 25. Future generations can only reach their full potential if a quality basic and vocational education is available to all – regardless of gender.

Youth unemployment is on the rise and has reached staggering levels during the Covid-19 crisis. Education and skills must be met with a robust labor market with sustainable job opportunities. Providing support for local private sector development, strengthening financial inclusion, and investing in digital transformations is crucial for creating new economic pathways.

© Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
«Children learn a lot about botany and environmental protection in our newly created school garden. And together we have built up a school library.»

Anthony Marloa, teacher, Dumbeta village, Arusha region, Tanzania

Our work

Helvetas’ work in basic education is focused on teacher training to enhance learning at school, helping out-of-school children catch up on learning, and reducing gender disparities. We also support vocational schools in teaching technical and life skills to disadvantaged youth and adults, readying them to seek employment and embark on entrepreneurial endeavors.  

Helvetas collaborates with the private sector to promote inclusive and sustainable market systems that can keep pace with labor force growth. As the populous younger generation prepares to enter the workforce, we help agricultural economies explore new technologies and expand into non-farm sectors such as manufacturing, construction and tourism.

Our Working Fields

Education and Vocational Skills

Lack of education perpetuates inequality because poor countries cannot compete economically without a skilled workforce.

Private Sector Development

Youth need access to reliable, fairly paid jobs to break the cycle of poverty. Helvetas creates partnerships and promotes policies that build more inclusive economies.

Youth

Young people are a tremendous asset, but also a possible threat when denied access to labor markets, services and decision-making. Almost every second unemployed person is aged between 15 and 24.

Selected Projects: Skills, Jobs & Income

© Fatoumata Diabate
Private Sector Development

Dynamizing Agriculture for the Youth

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Laos Private Sector Development

Good Tea Fetches Good Prices

© Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
Nepal Private Sector Development

Riverbed Vegetables

Mozambique Education and Vocational Skills

Training for the Real Working World

Haiti Education and Vocational Skills

Training young people for the working world

Guatemala Private Sector Development

Women´s Agro-entrepreneurship in the Highlands

© Helvetas
Vietnam Private Sector Development

Fighting Poverty with Responsible Tourism

© Helvetas
Bhutan Education and Vocational Skills

Building Trades with a Future for Young Men and Women

© Helvetas / Christian Bobst
Kosovo Education and Vocational Skills

Jobs for Young People

© Helvetas/Stephane Brabant
Benin Education and Vocational Skills

Making Up Lost Years of School

Vietnam_Biotrade_Woman | © Helvetas
Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar Private Sector Development

Ethical Trade in Botanicals

© Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Creating Jobs to Escape Poverty

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Bosnia-Herzegovina Private Sector Development

Making Markets and Jobs

© Helvetas
Bangladesh Private Sector Development

A healthy diet for women and children

© Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
Bolivia Private Sector Development

Cocoa harvesting, protecting forests

Anfanni 2023 | © Simon B. Opladen
Benin Private Sector Development

Encouraging Rural Youth to Become Entrepreneurs

© Helvetas
Tajikistan Climate & Disaster Resilience

For a Self-Determined Life in Dignity

Albania Private Sector Development

Making Markets Work for the Youth

© Helvetas
Nepal Education and Vocational Skills

Safer Houses, and Skills for Future Employment

International bloggers visited Kyrgyzstan | © Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Sustainable Winter Tourism Development Project

© S4RE
Kosovo Education and Vocational Skills

Matching Skills with Demand in the Labor Market

North Macedonia Education and Vocational Skills

Market-Oriented Education for a Prosperous Society

© Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Education and Vocational Skills

Providing the Local Industry With Professionals

Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, India Partnership & Capacity Development

Value Chain Capacity Building Network

Tanzania Private Sector Development

Climate-Smart Organic Cotton

© Helvetas
India WASH & Water Governance

Fair and Good – for People and Planet

© Helvetas
Vietnam Private Sector Development

Swiss Import Promotion Program

© Winfried Heusinger / Helvetas
Global Education and Vocational Skills

Decent Jobs Thanks to Vocational Training

© Helvetas/Singye Wangchuk
Global Private Sector Development

Networking for Employment and Income

Global Private Sector Development

Postharvest Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

Bangladesh Private Sector Development

Disability Inclusion in Bangladesh

Bosnia-Herzegovina Education and Vocational Skills

Empowering Youth to Build a Better Future in Bosnia and Herzegovina

© Helvetas / Simon B.Opladen
Tanzania Education and Vocational Skills

Youth Employment through Skills Enhancement (YES)

Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Sustainable Tourism Strengthens People and Nature

Tanzania Private Sector Development

Save Safe Food Project-Hifadhi Nafaka Salama (SSF)

Vietnam Private Sector Development

Conservation-Friendly Enterprise Development

© Dalia Khamissy
Lebanon Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Strengthening Civil Society through Digital Literacy

© Helvetas / Arben Llapashtica
Armenia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, Montenegro Education and Vocational Skills

Building Economies Where All Can Prosper

© Helvetas / Luigi Baldelli
Madagascar Private Sector Development

Boosting Income to Boost Rainforest Conservation

© Helvetas/Andrew Bartlett
Laos Private Sector Development

Towards a Greener and More Profitable Future

Tanzania Education and Vocational Skills

Lets Go Digital - VSOMO

Vietnam Sustainable and Inclusive Economies

Circular Economy Cocoa: From Bean to Bar

© Helvetas Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan Climate & Disaster Resilience

Green Economy for People and Environment

Peru Private Sector Development

MiCacao Project

Mozambique Education and Vocational Skills

Young people assert themselves in work life

Uzbekistan Education and Vocational Skills

Vocational Education on a Moving Ground

Nepal Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Support for returning migrant workers

Ukraine Private Sector Development

Fair Opportunities for a Fresh Start in Business

Bangladesh Skills, Jobs and Income

Feeding new job opportunities

© Axel Fassio
Madagascar Climate & Disaster Resilience

Growing cocoa and protecting the forest at the same time

© Helvetas
Georgia Private Sector Development

Strenghtening Local Economies in Georgia

© Axel Fassio
Madagascar Climate & Disaster Resilience

Growing cocoa and protecting the forest at the same time

Peru Private Sector Development

SeCompetitivo Programme - Phase III