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Helping the unemployed in Haiti

Gustave Jeff learnt IT skills with Islamic Relief’s help

As the people of Haiti strive to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake last year, Islamic Relief is still on the ground working hard to rehabilitate a nation.  Most recently, our vocational training programmes targeting young people struggling to find employment have proved a great success.
 
Individuals are being taught a range of relevant skills from tailoring to I.T. in a focussed effort to support them into work and radically reduce the level of unemployment in the country, which stood at a rate of 60% at the beginning of 2011.
 
“While infrastructure and livelihood situations have gradually improved since the earthquake back in March 2010, the local communities, especially the young and unskilled, are still struggling to earn a living,” said Islamic Relief worker Mayumi Fuchi.
 
Reducing the level of unemployment in the country, particularly amongst the youth, is a vital part of the rehabilitation process, and since last year more than 450 people have graduated from the Islamic Relief programme.
 
“This training is very useful, it can even help us to find a job if we apply all we have learned,” said Gustave Jeff, who attended one of Islamic Relief’s computer training programmes.
 
As well as teaching basic and technical skills Islamic Relief is also delivering a specially designed programme to help budding entrepreneurs set up their own tailoring business. Once they have graduated from the programme they will receive sewing machines and a safe place to work from. Once people have established their businesses they will also receive continuous support to help keep them running.
 
As there is a high demand for school uniforms right now in Haiti - with schools set to re-open in September - Islamic Relief is hoping to complete the project by July so trainees can take advantage of the opportunity and start earning a living.
 
“Job creation in tailoring and IT sectors will allow Haitian youths to fully participate in the economic and social development of their communities, consequently resulting in a reduction of the national unemployment rate,” added Ms Fuchi.