Rwanga Foundation launches project, creating jobs for the youth
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Rwanga Foundation announced two projects on Wednesday, aiming at creating jobs and raising funds for cancer patients in the Kurdistan Region. The projects are funded by the European Union and United Nations.
“The main objective of the project is to find jobs for the youth. We have been working on it for a while,” Abdulsalam Madani, Rwanga’s Chief Executive Director of Rwanga told Rudaw, referring to the first project.
The projects will begin in March and last for about two years.
He initially said that the budget for the projects is 5 million euros but later Rwanga’s media officer told Rudaw that the budget was doubled.
As per the job creation project, companies will submit tenders to employ youth for about 6-8 months. The employees will be paid by a project management, not the employer, but when reviewing tenders they will prioritize those companies which promise to keep the employees in their positions after the eight months.
People attend the Rwanga Foundation event in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, on January 20, 2019. Video: Rudaw
Mathieu F. Goodstein, attaché and programme manager for Delegation of the European Union to Iraq, told Rudaw that one of their objectives is the creation of “several thousand” jobs.
“These two projects will mainly deal with strengthening local authorities and municipal developments, and at the same time creating an environment for job creation, meaning creating opportunities for the youth,” he said.
Youth under- and un-employment is a challenge in the Kurdistan Region where about half of the population is under the age of 32.
Safin Khidir is the spokesperson for the local internet service provider Fastlink.
“It is a very good thing. The youth can use this project to know about companies and obtain good jobs,” he told Rudaw.
The projects are part of the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian and Iraqi Crisis and its implementing partners.
Khidir added the project “is a very good thing. The youth can use this project to know about companies and obtain good jobs.”
The event was run under the slogan “together we can save more lives. Rwanga wants to raise money for cancer patients who cannot afford treatment.
Rwanga Foundation states it is a “non-governmental organization, which envisages a world where quality education is accessible for all. Its mission is to provide services, build capacities and design policies to ensure easy access to education for all and improve the overall educational standards in Kurdistan and the greater global community.”
The foundation is supported by Idris Nechirvan Barzani, son of Kurdistan Regional Government PM Nechirvan Barzani. Rudaw was a media sponsor.
Reporting by Payam Sarbast