After the northern regions, the headquarters of the regional council of the city of Ali Sabieh hosted an official launch ceremony last Wednesday of the youth entrepreneurship project of the Ali-Sabieh region. This saw the participation of the deputy prefect, Mohamed Houmed Abass, the vice-president of the regional authority for decentralization, Nouh Saïd Gueldon, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Women and the Family, as well as a representative IOM. Knowing that the International Organization of Migrants (IOM) is an important partner of the project. Note also the presence on site of the nine unemployed young beneficiaries whose projects were considered viable.

The vice-president of the regional council welcomed everyone to the headquarters of his decentralization authority. He thanked the representatives of MFF and IOM for providing financial support which proved to be an opportunity to create lucrative activities for young assajogs. For his part, the Deputy Prefect urged the beneficiaries to fully seize this opportunity to finance the commercial projects of their choice. In its policy of implementing policies / strategies for equity and gender equality and the promotion of the institutionalization of the gender approach, the Ministry of Women and the Family relies on the entrepreneurship, seen as an alternative to finding or creating jobs, to business growth and therefore to the economic expansion of a country. This entrepreneurship project, moreover, is one of the means to fight against poverty and youth unemployment by promoting the creation of income-generating activities in both rural and urban areas. Out of one hundred projects identified and analyzed according to viability criteria in line with the economic potential of each region, thirty-five were selected and financed with IOM support in the five regions.

The beneficiaries of this project followed training sessions in entrepreneurship and project setting up. The objective of the entrepreneurship project is one of the means to fight against poverty and youth unemployment by promoting the creation of income-generating activities in both rural and urban areas. The beneficiaries of this project have previously attended training sessions in entrepreneurship and project setting up. The Ministry of Women and the Family will consolidate these projects through support over a period of six months in order to ensure their sustainability. That morning, nine young people from the region of Ali Sabieh region were able to benefit from financial support in the amount of five hundred thousand Djibouti francs for the realization of their project.

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Mane Mohamed Wabéri, a young graduate who had received funding from her project within the framework of PROPEJA

My name is Mane Mohamed Wabéri, I have a diploma in transport logistics from the University of Djibouti. After my university studies, I had taken training in employability as part of the project to promote youth employment and crafts (PROPEJA). I thought about starting my own lucrative business. I had done a market study in the city of Ali-Sabieh. I realize that the fish trade does not exist locally.

And that the people are ready to eat the white meat of fish. I set up my project and obtained funding from the Djiboutian Agency for Social Development (ADDS) which allowed me to start my small business. Alhamdoulilah, thanks to my perseverance my activities bring me more than I imagined at the beginning. During the regional tour of the President of the Republic in Ali-Sabieh last March, I exhibited my products in a stand. That day, I was able to speak to the head of state who was proud of the young people who are taking charge to escape the lack of employment.

I had claimed a building plot in the city center. I got it. I thank the President of the Republic who had asked the officials of the region to have my request satisfied. I also don’t forget to thank those responsible for the region. Since then, I have built my own commercial house on the site of the old train station. I started to multiply my sales offers. In addition to fish, I offer chicken and fruit to my customers. In part, I turned the place into a cafeteria. My entrepreneurial activities are thriving and bringing me more. I am proud to have trusted myself. I am my own boss and am not accountable to any other person or institution.