(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Silatech aims to provide 2 million job opportunities by 2020 in 16 countries in collaboration with 150 local, regional and international partners, said its annual report for 2016-17. The report added that Qatar contributed $148m out of $237m collected to fund the organisation's projects, QNA reported.
In the opening remarks of the report, Silatech Chairperson of the Board of Trustees H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser said that it is 'vital to give all young people the tools to make their societies flourish, stressing that 'it is imperative that we provide them with chances to become active and productive members of their communities.
'Silatech was conceived from the region, by the region, for the region, with a vision to unleash this potential, H H Sheikha Moza said, adding: 'Our name and our mission are all about connection; connecting needs with skills; connecting employers with job seekers; connecting young people with opportunities. 'The social and economic upheavals that have rocked the Arab world in recent years have compounded my conviction that now, more than ever, it is vital to give all young people the tools to make their societies flourish, H H Sheikha Moza said.
'Only when we connect the hopes and dreams of our youth with the tools to realise them will we build the strong Arab economies of tomorrow, H H Sheikha Moza said as she concluded her remarks. Silatech is the international development nonprofit non-government organization that works on connecting Arab youth. The annual report for 2016-17 provided a general view of its programmes and initiatives, the main local, regional and international strategic partnerships, and the achievements and results that it accomplished for Arab youth in the countries of operation. In the field of enterprise development, the organization said it funded 146,000 youth projects, trained 42,000 young men and women in entrepreneurship, built the capacity of more than 30 financial institutions, and designed and launched 29 existing financial products for youth.
As for employment, 65,000 young people received training to enter the labor market, over 57,000 professional consultations were offered, 250 vocational centers were launched in the Arab world and 900 certified professional counselors were provided.
In the field of policy and research, Silatech offered more than 50 research papers on policies and programs that support Arab youth, and organized over 30 international conferences and workshops on youth issues.
The report reviewed the progress of some of Silatech's major ventures such as the development, independence and sustainability of Narwi Platform, which was established by Silatech in 2014, 'Hope program that aims to reintegrate and rehabilitate a number of Sudanese youths, 'Smart Tunisia and 'Bedaya - Enda programs in Tunisia, 'Bodour program in Morocco, 'Decent Living program in Syria, enhancing the role of Bedaya Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Guidance, developing 'Tamheed program for career guidance, and building the capacity of independent secondary school career advisors.
The projects also include establishing localized portals in Arabic, English and French for 'Ta3mal platform in the eight countries of Qatar, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt, supporting the employment of Syrian refugees in Turkey, supporting the career guidance and employment center in Oman, establishing a career center to support the employment of women in Saudi Arabia, and developing the capacities of young Palestinian women in the field of manufacturing and packaging food products.
Silatech said that it collaborates with governmental, educational and private sector partners to develop effective employment and training mechanisms and programs. It also provides young people with access to career guidance, training and jobs through innovative technological platforms, builds the capacity of local institutions, and direct connection between employers and young jobseekers.
The report featured a number of personal experiments of some beneficiaries of Silatech programs and ventures and how the support that they received from the organization changed their lives.
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