The United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) has announced extension of AkaziKanoze Youth Livelihoods Project implemented by education development centre until 2016.

The $2.7 million (about Rwf1.8 billion) extension will allow the project to further strengthen local organisations’ ability to deliver services such as workforce readiness training and internship placement and will extend these opportunities further to include more rural youth, according to a statement from US embassy in Kigali.

"AkaziKanoze has shown remarkable results thus far, and we’re looking forward to seeing what else it can do over the next two years to become a sustainable, locally-run source of hope and opportunity for Rwanda’s young people,” said Peter Malnak, USAID mission director.

Since 2008, the project has facilitated youth in various fields, including trainings in both vocational skills as well as soft skills like leadership creativity and teamwork.

AkaziKanoze has reportedly trained more than 18,000 youth in workforce readiness skills; 60 per cent of the graduates looking for economic opportunities found a job or started businesses within six months of completion of the programme.

More than 55 per cent of graduates have gone on to pursue further education or have gone into a market demand driven vocational training.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and ICT, Rosemary Mbabazi, said the extension of the project was timely and it would boost efforts to address unemployment among the youth.

"We have realised positive impact since it started operating, especially in terms of entrepreneurial skills work readiness among youth,” Mbabazi said.

She said the project complements the newly-established National Employment Programme that facilitates youth in accessing employment in all districts.

The project, that operates in Kigali and six districts of the Southern and Western provinces, targets 15,000 youth aged between 14 and 25 to equip them with life-changing skills.

The programme creates linkages between youth and the public and private sector so that youth can access increased employment opportunities and become entrepreneurs themselves.

So far, the programme has built partnerships and capacity with 45 local organisations and government agencies, as well as 14 vocational and technical schools.

 Maria Usanase, who has benefited from the programme, lauded the extension, saying more support is needed to help youth get jobs.

Healther Schommer, the Usaid outreach and communications officer, said readiness curriculum is being rolled out in TVET schools nationwide. 

"It helps youth in building critical job skills technical expertise in a variety of fields and assisting graduates with internships and job replacement,” she said.

The project extension will not only establish a local entity to run and oversee existing AkaziKanoze programmes, but will build on the project’s existing partnership network to create stronger connections between youth and organisations like the Private Sector Federation, the National Employment Programme, and international donors, according to the statement.