Our Activity Report 2023 is out! In this article, we present one of our projects in Bolivia.

In southern Bolivia, access to employment is very difficult for young people. Tens of thousands of them find themselves unemployed, despite holding a diploma. In Tarija, our partner Esperanza Bolivia is working with us to tackle this problem. Supported by the European Union, this local NGO is launching a major project aimed at the socio-professional integration of young people, to which we will be contributing our expertise as a university NGO.

The lack of jobs for young people is one of the main problems we face in southern Bolivia. It is caused by the decline in oil and gas production, which a few years ago provided jobs through the public system. This decline has led to a lack of employment opportunities for young people, worsening the region's economic situation.

The aim of the project we are running with Louvain Coopération is to revive the economy, focusing on young people and women and promoting environmentally-friendly activities. This initiative involves the collaboration of four key players: government and local authorities, businesses looking for labour, the education system and young people looking for work. Together, we will work to improve the training and skills of young people to meet the needs of private enterprise, creating ecosystems of employment, employability and entrepreneurship. It is essential to stimulate the economy with local and sustainable jobs, as the gas industry is not a long-term solution.

Louvain Coopération has collaborated with us in this reflection. They will be working on more specific issues and carrying out analyses of different aspects of employment in Tarija. It will also help us to create a reference base for the various indicators linked to the project's objectives, so that we can monitor their development.

Read our 2023 Activity Report (FR)