In a small rural community, Genamer Village where educational and economic opportunities for young women are limited, a project entitled “Youth Self-Employment in Southern Ethiopia Region (YES)” was launched in June 2024 by the Hailemariam & Roman Foundation in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to empower financially disadvantaged young people.
Among the many participants in the project is Liban Kuddo, a 26-year-old woman from Genamer Village, Ari Zone. . Liban, who is currently a grade 11 student, grew up in an agro-pastoral community where traditional gender roles often limited women’s opportunities. As the youngest of eight children, with four sisters and three brothers, Liban has often felt the burden of helping her family with household chores. This expectation has sometimes overshadowed her education and ambitions.
Despite her passion for agribusiness, Liban faced societal pressures discouraging her from pursuing her dreams. In her village, many young women are expected to conform to traditional roles prioritizing marriage and family over personal development and professional aspirations. These cultural expectations often lead to a lack of support for women striving for education and entrepreneurship. Liban shared her experiences regarding the challenges young women face in her village, particularly the lack of business skills and limited access to finance.
At an early age, Liben started a business of selling maize to help her contribute to her family’s income. However, due to her limited agribusiness knowledge, her efforts have not been as productive as she hoped for.
Liban continues her education by balancing her responsibilities, attending night classes and managing her agribusiness during the day. She sells her maize products locally but often encounters market-related challenges that force her to sell at lower prices, impacting her profitability. She describes her situation as living “from hand to mouth,” indicating her struggle to make ends meet.
Liban learned about the YES project through her local village administration. After registering as a job seeker, she received a phone call from the administration informing her of this opportunity. Excited about the prospects, she, along with her friends, eagerly enrolled in the program to gain the skills and knowledge needed to improve their agribusiness.
During the first round of participant training for the YES project on mindset and business skills, held from December 2-4, 2024, Liban experienced a transformative moment. The training opened her eyes to new strategies for accessing markets for her existing business and ignited a passion for diversification of business partnering with her friends. With newfound mindset and knowledge, Liban felt inspired to take her first steps into the world of business. She eagerly anticipates the second round of YES project training, which will focus on agribusiness-related technical skills, further enhancing her expertise in her area of interest.
Sharing her vision three years from now, she said, “I have a dream to open a business shop in the nearby town and to be a role model for other young women. I want to create job opportunities for others while supporting those in need. Finally, I aim to celebrate the success of the YES project and inspire others to join in making a positive impact.”
Similar to Liban, the YES project envisions improving the lives of 32,146 financially disadvantaged youth in Southern Ethiopia, with 70% being young women, while also supporting persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons (IDPs). By enabling young women and men to engage in sectors such as agro-processing, livestock production and marketing, and ecotourism. This initiative aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy and Ethiopia’s sector-specific policies implemented by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Skills (MoLS), which aim to enhance rural employment for youth and provide essential skills and access to finance.
