YES-DRC Network Presentation

1. Campaign 2002-2012 YES-DRC NETWORK Campaign 2002-2012 YES-DRC NETWORK YES-DRC Network Presentation YES-DRC NETWORK PRESENTATION .

2. Youth Entrepreneurship Promotion Programme in DRC MEXICO October 4, 2004 Jules RAMAZANIYES-DRC NETWORK COORDINATOR

3. Target Group: Young people under 40 years old. Rationale for Intervention: Gap between educational system and labour market needs; Lack of entrepreneurial culture (no creativity, no initiative) among young people; High rate (90%) of youth unemployment; and Lack of technical and financialsupport. Description of Project

4. Project Goals: • Promote youth entrepreneurship; and • Develop entrepreneurial culture among young people. • Project Design Principles: • Observation; • Reflection; • Vision; • Inspiration; and • Action. • Project Duration: • 2 Years(2002-2004) • Project Inputs: • Material resources; • Financial resources; and • Human resources.

5. Project Cycle • Conceptualization • The Programme was conceptualized and implemented in the first stage in Kinshasa (Capital city of DRC) by APEC – NGO [www.web-africa.org/apec] Team. • We are collaborating with: • ACEE of Quebec: technical support;

6. Paul Fortin, President of Accès Entreprise, Quebec: technical support. • Youth Development Network (YDN), South Africa: technical and financial support. • Ministry of Industry & SMEs: moral support; • Ministry of Youth and sports: moral and material support; and • FEC (Federation of Enterprises of Congo): moral and material support. Implementation Our Methodology consists in implementing and supporting: • Student Entrepreneurs Clubs in the Universities and High Schools – Entrepreneurship in School • Young Entrepreneurs Clubs in the local areas – Young Mentorship Pilot Project

7. What are the Results? • Numbers of persons reached by the activities • Student Entrepreneurs Club project: - 55 students: 19-25 years old - 45 males and 10 females • Young Entrepreneurs Club project, Mentorship Pilot project: • 10 Mentors: 7 males and 3 females • 10 Protégés: 9 males and 1 female

8. Response from Community The beneficiaries of the programme are: • Young students in universities and high schools; • Young entrepreneurs; and • Others unemployed young people. • YES Framework for Action: • The YES-DRC Network favors youth entrepreneurship promotion as a effective strategy to fight poverty and youth unemployment in DR Congo.

9. Plans for the Future • To strengthen, reinforce,and consolidate the current actions; • To develop new projects in the biodiversity and renewable energies areas; • To develop partnership with international organizations, other donors, and the private sector; and • To extend the YES-DRC Network activities nationwide (in all country provinces).

10. Challenges and Lessons Learned • Problems Faced Since 2002 YES-DRC Network is working in a very tough situation because of the following: • Political Instability: four years of war and rebellions; • Bad governence; • Lack of a National Employment Policy; • Lack of a National Youth Policy;

11. Economic crisis; • Cultural obstacles among young people and at the community level in creating new initiatives (especially in terms of entrepreneurship); and • Youth poverty. • New Knowledge • We understand that to succeed in our work we must build strong partnerships with many stakeholders (Government, educational institutions, the media, international organizations, financial institutions, and other donors). • YES-DRC Network must be professional to be competitive nationally and internationally. Thank you for your attention!