The Ivoirian government has inaugurated a third vocational training center in Guéyo, Soubré department, as part of the Ensemble pour agir sur les causes profondes du travail des enfants (ENACTE) program. The center was officially handed over to the prefect of Guéyo, Abdoulaye Mané, during a ceremony held on October 30-31, 2026. This new infrastructure aims to provide young people with practical skills in two key areas: market gardening and poultry farming.
The ENACTE program, supported financially by the European Union and Swiss Cooperation in Benin, seeks to strengthen the professional skills of young people through practical training. The program's national coordinator, Konan Kouassi Sylvain, explained that these training centers aim to bring learning opportunities closer to local populations and provide young people with relevant skills adapted to local economic realities. This initiative is part of a broader effort to promote learning pathways that facilitate access to employment and income-generating activities.
The new center in Guéyo is the third of its kind, following similar facilities in Buyo and Okrouyo. These centers offer young people the opportunity to acquire practical skills in promising sectors, enabling them to develop their own activities and achieve economic autonomy. According to Sylvain, the program's ambition is to empower young people with skills that will allow them to access employment and improve their socio-economic status.
Prefect Abdoulaye Mané welcomed the initiative and urged beneficiaries to make good use of the equipment and infrastructure provided. He encouraged them to be diligent and apply their knowledge to contribute to the development of their locality. The prefect emphasized the importance of these training centers in promoting youth empowerment and reducing child labor in the region.
The ENACTE program focuses on addressing the root causes of child labor in Côte d'Ivoire. By providing vocational training and promoting economic opportunities, the program aims to reduce the prevalence of child labor and improve the well-being of young people. The program's impact is expected to be significant, particularly in regions such as the Nawa region, where the three training centers have been established.
The establishment of these training centers is part of a broader strategy to promote youth employment and economic empowerment in Côte d'Ivoire. The program's success will depend on various factors, including the quality of training provided, the relevance of the skills acquired, and the availability of job opportunities. However, the initiative has been well-received by local authorities and beneficiaries, who see it as a positive step towards addressing youth unemployment and child labor.
With the inauguration of the third vocational training center in Guéyo, the ENACTE program has made significant progress in its efforts to combat child labor and promote youth empowerment in Côte d'Ivoire. The program's impact is expected to be long-lasting, and its success could serve as a model for similar initiatives in other countries facing similar challenges.
Key points
- The ENACTE program has established three vocational training centers in the Nawa region of Côte d'Ivoire to combat child labor and promote youth empowerment.
