Trias establishes youth leadership school in El Salvador

 

Out of the young people aged between 15 and 19, 4 in 10 left their school desks in El Salvador. And only 18 percent of young people up to 29 years of age enjoy working conditions in line with the work they have done.

 

In El Salvador,  poverty and violence go hand in hand. According to a recent report from the UN Development Program (UNDP), 44,343 murders were committed in the past ten years. This for a 6.5 million inhabitants Central American country. For young people between 15 and 29 years of age, murder is the main cause of death. 

 

YOUCA

 

Last year Trias joined forces with YOUCA to counter the massive emigration of young people from El Salvador. During the YOUCA Action Day, 17,000 Flemish and Brussels students went to work one day. They invested their daily wages in Trias youth projects in El Salvador.

 

'With this financial contribution of the YOUCA youth, we ensure that their peers in El Salvador can play an active role in four farmers' and entrepreneurs organizations,' says Trias employee Flor Flores. The ultimate goal is to give young people opportunities to get started in family farming or cooperative companies.

 

Leadership school

 

In recent months Trias Central America has invested in the establishment of a leadership school. The young people participating in the first training cycle have been selected since. After their education, they will be able to place important themes for young people higher on the agenda of their farmers' or entrepreneurs organization.

 

Trias has also developed a manual for these organizations as a guideline for change processes. 'They have a way to work on the rejuvenation of their membership base. Everyone benefits from more young people moving through,' says Flores.

 

Services

 

Finally, Trias also invested in the specific services for young people from RUM, Confras, Adel Morazan and Clac. 'More young people were given access to company counseling and advice in the area of financial management and computer science. Training courses were organized, for example in aquaculture. And there were events and network activities on the program, to bring the young people in contact with other organizations that can help them achieve their dreams', Flores concludes.

 

Read the first half-yearly report (Dutch) of the projects that Trias is carrying out together with YOUCA in El Salvador. Want to know more about how you can support?