In Tarija, in southern Bolivia, young people are gradually regaining hope for the future. Thanks to a project run by Esperanza Bolivia and Louvain Coopération, schools, businesses, local authorities and entrepreneurs are joining forces to create jobs, support entrepreneurship and better meet the needs of the local economy.

More than 700 students trained in various sectors (food, tourism, agriculture, etc.), 200 entrepreneurs – mainly young people and women – receiving support, around 20 young people now making a living from their own businesses, 12 better-equipped technical colleges… In Tarija, in southern Bolivia, young people’s career prospects are gradually improving. Behind these results is the NGO Esperanza Bolivia, which works hand in hand with Louvain Coopération, thanks to funding from the European Union. Since late 2023, links have been forged between training programmes, entrepreneurship and the needs of local economic sectors, with the aim of offering young people real prospects for the future in their region.

Ecosystems to improve employment

One of the cornerstones of this project is the creation of employment ecosystems – that is, networks comprising stakeholders from the education sector, the public and private sectors, SMEs, young jobseekers and the local authority – structured around a specific sector and implementing the changes necessary for its development.

“We support these municipal ecosystems throughout the entire process of their creation, helping them to define their objectives and strategic direction so that they can become self-sufficient,” explains Cristelle Le Bris, employability officer within the education department at Esperanza Bolivia. “For example, one of the groups focuses on the tourism sector, which is making a strong comeback in the region. The stakeholders have therefore agreed on the new jobs to be created and the training needs… They are also advocating for policies that support tourism. The same momentum has been generated around agroecology.”

Ongoing training

The project also works directly with young people to support them in finding a job or setting up their own business. To this end, training courses on entrepreneurship, soft skills, marketing and financial management are offered to them.

Furthermore, secondary schools and technical colleges are supported, notably through donations of equipment to improve learning conditions. ‘They are sorely lacking in resources. Some teachers have to bring in their own saucepans or gas to teach cookery lessons! We’ve seen that these donations have made a huge difference. One of the supported secondary schools, which had virtually no equipment to begin with, went on to win a national cooking competition following the donation,” recalls Cristelle. “They now receive a genuine practical education. It’s no longer just about a diploma.”

Promoting women’s entrepreneurship

Associations of women entrepreneurs are also benefiting from this project. Whether they are embroiderers, cheesemakers or ham producers, they receive support to improve their production techniques and their access to local or national markets. “Last year, together with Louvain Coopération, we managed to bring a master ham-maker from Andalusia to Tarija, who ran a training course on the production of Serrano ham. It was really interesting and he is still involved with the project today. We have also been working with a group of embroiderers. They have modernised their designs and, today, their creations can be found in shops across the country!”

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