The Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF) successfully conducted a Youth Advisory Groups (YAGs) Orientation and Planning Workshop from March 27th to 28th, 2025, in the towns of Jinka and Turmi. The event brought together 84 participants from the Ari and South Omo Zones, including 50 women and 34 men from targeted Woredas, to establish YAGs for the Youth Self-Employment (YES) Project.
During the training, Mr. Fekadu Tesfaye, Chief of HRF’s Youth & Women Economic Empowerment Program and Lead of the YES project stated that the focus of the project is on young women and men, in alignment with the Young Africa Works strategy of the Mastercard Foundation. He stated that the role of the Youth Advisory Groups (YAGs) is to serve as platforms for amplifying youth voices throughout various project cycles. Regarding the importance of the workshop, he noted that participants would discuss the overview of the YES project, their representation, the support needed from different entities, and the emerging needs identified during project implementation.
At the conclusion of the workshop, YAG members expressed the importance of the workshop, noting that it provided them with valuable information regarding their responsibilities and the Youth Voice platform and mechanism. Furthermore, they demonstrated their commitment to the YES Project’s objectives, pledging to utilize their skills and knowledge to tackle youth unemployment challenges in their respective Woredas.
The Youth Self-Employment in Southern Ethiopia (YES) Project, implemented by HRF in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, aims to support financially disadvantaged youth in the South Omo and Ari Zones over three years. The project targets 32,146 young people, prioritizing inclusivity with 70% young women, 5% persons with disabilities, and 15% internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees. The initiative focuses on the Woredas of Hamer, Benna Tsemay, Salamago, Semen Ari, Debub Ari, and Jinka Town Administration.