Green Growth: Empowering Youth for a Green Future in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Somalia

Ethiopia_OA_Tulu Moye _PetterikWiggers

 

Green Growth: Empowering Youth for a Green Future (Green Growth) is a five-year initiative launched in August 2025 by SOS Children’s Villages in partnership with the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. The project aims to provide over 18,000 young people in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Somalia – with a focus on supporting young women – with the skills and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods in green and emerging industries.


The project targets the most vulnerable young people in urban and semi-rural areas, including those who are:

 

  • Without parental care or at risk of losing it

     

  • Not in education, employment, or training (NEET)

     

  • Part of other marginalized groups, such as youth with disabilities and single mothers

     

Why it matters


Across the globe, youth unemployment remains a critical issue. According to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025, 1 in 5 young people are NEET, with young women twice as likely to be affected as young men.


At the same time, the climate crisis is shrinking access to sustainable economic opportunities, especially for young people in vulnerable regions. In East Africa, recurring droughts, floods, widespread food insecurity and deepening inequality are making it harder for youth to secure stable futures.

 

“Youth unemployment and climate change are twin crises that are deeply interconnected – especially in vulnerable regions like East Africa. Green Growth offers a powerful solution by equipping young people with the skills, training, and opportunities they need to build sustainable livelihoods in sectors that are both climate-resilient and part of the solution to the climate crisis. Whether through clean energy, sustainable agriculture, or green technologies, young people can be drivers of economic recovery and environmental sustainability.” 
— Thomas Bauer, President and CEO, SOS Children’s Villages Canada

 

What the project does


Green Growth is designed to respond to the specific needs of young people facing adversity in under-resourced or crisis-affected areas of Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Somalia. The project will strengthen youth skills and expand access to decent work and business creation opportunities in environmentally sustainable and emerging sectors by:  

 

  • Partnering with vocational and technical training institutions to deliver accessible, gender-sensitive, and practical training

     

  • Removing barriers to education, hands-on training, employment, and entrepreneurship

     

  • Providing young people with green and market-relevant skills

     

  • Offering entrepreneurship training and business development services

     

  • Building partnerships with the private sector to increase access to decent employment and support youth-led enterprises

 

Expected impact

 

  • 18,000+ young people will receive training, mentorship, or entrepreneurship support.

     

  • Green Growth will work with employers, business development partners and financial institutions to create viable pathways to decent work. 
     

  • 81,000 young people will benefit indirectly, generating lasting impact for families and communities.

     

  • Inclusive economic recovery will be supported, particularly in communities affected by climate-related crises such as drought, flooding, and food insecurity.

 

Building a greener, more inclusive future


By providing youth with skills for sustainable employment and entrepreneurship, Green Growth builds resilience, both environmental and economic. It is a step toward ensuring that no young person is left behind in the transition to a green economy.