Tanzanians youths aged between 18 and 24 years are expected to benefit from the 800m/- empowerment programe, to be implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with CRDB Bank Foundation.

Mark Screiner, resident representative said yesterday during the signing of the agreement that UNFPA has been implementing various projects aimed at empowering Tanzanians, specifically economically underserved communities  to promote inclusive economy, benefiting specifically women, youths and adolescence girls and asylum seekers from conflicting neighbouring countries.

 “When you look into challenges facing youths including lack of capital, lack of employment and entrepreneurship education,UNFPA has a reason to partner with strategic stakeholders to empowering youths in the country to enable them to participate in building the economy of their country,” he said.

He said UNFPA is currently implementing its nineth programme which involves safer reproductive health and pregnancy management as well as empowering youths to accomplish their dreams.

“Our aim is to to ensure that there shall be no one left behind, so we are targeting partners who have the same attitude,” said Schreiner

According to the 2022 Population ad Housing Census, half of the Tanzania’s population is youths below the age of 24 years.

The census findings also show that 44 percent of all Tanzanians are children below the age of 15 years and 19 percent of people in the country are youths aged between 15 and 24 years old.

“This is the huge number of total population which will be covered by our partnership with CRDB Foundation,” the resident representative noted.

“Since its establishment in 2023, out foundation has directed efforts in establishing programmes to empowering youths and women, by connecting them into formal financial system, provide them with training and seed capital throughout iMbeju programme. This partnership with UNFPA is expected to strengthen our efforts to to reach more youths,” said Tully Mwambapa, the foundation’s managing director.

She said the partnership is targeting youths currently in schools and dropouts due to various reasons including disabilities and girls who were impregnated while in school.

Mwambapa said through its implementation, the partnership is expected to reduce challenges facing youths such as uemployment, lack of reproductive education, reduce gender violences, HIV/Aids spread in three regions of Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Kigoma.

“Our partnership with UNFPA is focusing on two basic areas including education and skills for those who are in school and those who are out of schools as well as financial literacy and entrepreneurship to enable them to accomplish their dreams,” she said