Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2014

Dear Friends
We feel it our immense pleasure to extend our sincerest wishes for hope, happiness and peace during this Holiday Season and throughout the coming New Year 2014.
In this time of gratitude, We would like to thank you. We value your continuous support & co-operation and appreciate your involvement to our projects. Counting you among our honorable supporters/partners is something for which we are especially grateful.
On behalf of our organization, YOSSO we would like to wish you MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014.

Warm regards,

Prosper Mambo
Executive Director
YOSSO

Monday, December 9, 2013

The menace youth unemployment creates in Tanzania

3rd December 2013
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN


Mandela loved sport and understood its power to do good

n this May 15, 2004 file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela lifts the World Cup trophy in Zurich, Switzerland, after FIFA's executive committee announced that South Africa would host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. AP


By Gerald Imray/AP

When it came to sport, Nelson Mandela had the ability to inspire even inspirational figures and leave global stars completely star-struck. 

The anti-apartheid leader, former South African president and Nobel Peace Prize winner died on Thursday at the age of 95, prompting a vast outpouring of tributes from the world's best-known athletes and top sporting bodies. Read more at

Mandela changed course of African football in years after leaving prison

In this photo released by the Mandela Foundation, former South African President Nelson Mandela smiles as he holds the FIFA World Cup trophy, at the Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg,on May 6, 2010.

8th December 2013
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY  

A visiting Brazilian first eleven side was held to a draw by the South African host side a couple of weeks
ago, an event that the now deceased iconic leader of that country, Nelson Mandela, was beyond ability to hear about.
 
 Such a result is a reinvigoration of the spirit of South African soccer that was cultivated by the rise of Nelson Mandela to office in 1994, upon which the Africa Cup of Nations was held in that country and the home side took the cup, in 1996.  
 
And after he left office, the elder statesman added his weight for Africa, and specifically South Africa, to host the World Cup finals in 2010, which duly occurred. Those are two unforgettable moments for all.
 
If this was a direct personal contribution to the sport in Africa, it is something else if we now start figuring out the contribution of the iconic anti-apartheid leader in eradicating racism in the sport and in other fields, in the years after he came out of prison. 
 
With Mandela as president of a multiracial South Africa and respected unanimously all over the world, it became not just out of fashion but actually a mark of stupidity, to be a racist. 
 
With US human rights leader Dr Martin Luther King non-racialism was still a dream; by the time Mandela took and left office in South Africa, a world without racism was largely a reality, except for hard core neo-fascists locally and abroad.
 
While this input will be hard to measure, the holding of the World Cup finals in South Africa, and well before that, reintegration of South Africa in the sporting world from the time Mandela was released from prison early 1990 helped to change the map of African soccer.
 
Until that point a minor guerrilla war of sentiments was continuing between opponents of apartheid in many countries around the world, and those who didn’t care, something that changed after Mandela’s release and protracted negotiations on how a new South Africa could be put up. 
 
That was also the period in which democracy was making its first steps and Africa being more integrated with outside world.
 
Despite that there was never systematic racism in European soccer for many years, black players like the legendary Eusebio of Portugal who hailed from Mozambique, there was a new dynamic following the release of the anti-apartheid leader, and finally South Africa briefly became the home of world soccer during the 2010 finals. 
 
It was also during Mandela’s time in office that the South African team was galvanized, putting away divisions tied up with the apartheid legacy, but the going eventually proved to be tough. 
 
Vacillation at the level of principle took its toll on the country’s team; it has regularly failed to qualify for the World Cup finals. It has flashes of brilliance, just.
 
What made Mandela larger than life and effective in all fields, from sports to politics, and a profound influence in the African entertainment industry as an inspiring figure, even in modes of dress and fashion, from routinely formal to moderately casual, or a shining, colourful formal.
 
Mandela was the ultimate goodwill ambassador, an inspiration to crowds of any kind, religion or race anywhere in the world, the ultimate example of a long suffering person who hated no one, who made everyone feel safe with him, or with the values for which he stood for. 
 
There is still that image of the South African rugby national side participating in the World Cup for the first time in 1995 when Mandela was president; he came into the pitch, talked to the all-white side that used to be the buttress of apartheid, the Springbok, and the meeting of minds and sentiments was lasting. 
 
They couldn’t believe he loved them, that he was genuinely proud of that team, which made their old apartheid persuasions altogether shameful.

Friday, December 6, 2013

‘Nilianza na Sh1.5 milioni sasa napata Sh5 bilioni’


Na Fredy Azzah, Mwananchi

Posted  Alhamisi,Decemba5  2013  saa 15:50 PM

Kwa ufupi
Ukitaka kufanikiwa ni lazima uwe na nidhamu baada ya kuomba mikopo kutoka taasisi za fedha

Alikuja Dar kama ‘house boy’ sasa ametajirika

Sindamka akiwa kazini. Picha na Elias Msuya

 
Na Elias Msuya, Mwananchi
Posted  Jumatano,Novemba27  2013  saa 16:33 PM

Tatizo la ajira kwa vijana limekuwa sugu hasa kwa nchi zinazoendelea kama Tanzania. Vijana wengi wamekuwa wakikimbia vijijini na kuingia mijini kila mwaka wakitafuta ajira.Wilfred Sindamka mwenyeji wa wilayani Kibondo Mkoa wa Kigoma, alihamia jijini Dar es Salaam mwaka 1995 akitokea mkoani Dodoma ili kujaribu kutimiza ndoto yake ya maisha. Endelea….

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Youth Employment Key To Africa’s Continued Economic Growth

Posted on May 29, 2012 05:49 am under Business, Strategies & Solutions
 
VENTURES AFRICA – With the number of youths in Africa set to double by 2045, countries across the continent should boost job creation and help young people acquire new skills, according to the African Economic Outlook 2012.

“Creating productive employment for Africa’s rapidly growing young population is an immense challenge but also the key to future prosperity,” say the authors in the foreword.

Co-written by the African Development Bank, the OECD Development Centre, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the report says youth are an opportunity for future economic growth.

Between 2000 and 2008, despite world-topping economic growth rates, and a better educated youth, Africa created only 16 million jobs for young people aged between 15 and 24.

Today, youth represent 60 percent of the continent’s unemployed, and of these 40 million youths, 22 million have given up on finding a job, many of them women.

“The continent is experiencing jobless growth”, said Mthuli Ncube, Chief Economist and Vice-President of the African Development Bank (AfDB). “That is an unacceptable reality on a continent with such an impressive pool of youth, talent and creativity”.

The report argues youth unemployment figures will increase unless Africa moves swiftly to make youth employment a priority, turning its human capital into economic opportunity. On the other hand, youths can present a significant threat to social cohesion and political stability if they do not secure decent living conditions.

High growth alone is not sufficient to guarantee productive employment. Youth employment is largely a problem of quality in low-income countries and one of quantity in middle-income countries, the report says.

“In low-income countries, most young people work but are poor nevertheless. In African middle-income countries, on the other hand, such as South Africa or the Northern African countries, despite better education, more youth are inactive than working,” said Mario Pezzini, Director at the OECD Development Centre.

The report recommends that African countries design better-coordinated strategies to effectively tackle youth employment, focusing on job creation in the private sector while providing the right conditions for businesses of all sizes to grow and expand their work force.

In addition, given the small size of the formal sector in many African countries, the report finds that a government focuses on the informal sector and rural areas, which contain immense entrepreneurial talent, can serve as engines for inclusive growth since they can absorb higher numbers of unemployed youths.

It also advocates for policies focused on creating the skills that are necessary for youths to compete in the job market, for instance by improving the quality of education in agriculture and new technologies.

Increased policy focus on youth employment must be coupled with measures to boost investments in social and economic infrastructure and diversify the continent’s economy.

“Export diversification beyond raw material and private sector development are important to mitigate the continent’s susceptibility to external shocks, but that takes time”, said Emmanuel Nnadozie, Director of Economic Development at UNECA.

With the right policies in place, the continent could capitalize on its recent economic growth to achieve a development breakthrough.

“Youth employment is an investment in the future. It contributes to reducing poverty, wealth creation, well-being and social cohesion,” said Pedro Conceição, Chief Economist at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa.

The African Economic Outlook presents a comprehensive analysis of the economic, social and political developments in the region. The report includes in-depth country notes on 53 of the continent’s 54 economies, a macroeconomic overview.
The document also offers a chapter on human development which focuses this year on the importance of reversing capital flight to achieve sustainable human development.


Note: The annual 2012 African Economic Outlook covers economic, social and political development in 53 of the continent’s 54 countries. It is published with financial support from the European Union and the Committee of African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). For the whole report, including statistics and specific country performance, please visit http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Stage set for Youth Cup soccer seminar


Boniface Wambura, TFF information officer

14th March 2013


Organiser of this year’s edition of Coca-Cola under 17 football championships expect to hold a seminar for all secretaries of the regional football associations in the country.
 The seminar will be held at the Tanzania Football Federation’s premises on March 19 and participants have been advised to report a day before.
Besides the secretaries, all coordinators of the Secondary Schools games (UMISSETA) have also been invited to attend the seminar.
According to the TFF information officer Boniface Wambura, letters of invitations have already been dispatched to the invitees.
 The seminar aims at imparting knowledge and overview of the youth tournament which has been staged for over five years now.
 Major highlight of the seminar is expected to be adherence to age of the players to avoid cheating. Age cheating has been a huge problem recurring in the tournament in most of the editions.
The Copa Coca-Cola tourney has been a perfect stage for  football coaches and trainers to scout talents.
The tournament will kickoff from the district level before advancing to regions and then national level. 

IFC, Coca-Cola issues $100m to empower women entrepreneurs

William Egbe (R), Group Sustainability Director for Coca-Cola Eurasia and Africa Group shake hands with International Finance Corporation director of financial markets James Scriven after signing of a three-year joint USD100m initiative to provide access to finance for women entrepreneurs in Eurasia and Africa.(Photo: Guardian Correspondent)

By The guardian reporter, 19th March 2013
 
The  Coca-Cola Company and IFC (International Finance Corporation), a member of the World Bank Group, last week announced a $100m, three-year joint initiative to provide access to finance for women entrepreneurs in Eurasia and Africa.

The collaboration builds on the synergies between Coca-Cola’s 5by20 women’s economic empowerment initiative and IFC’s Banking on Women programme to help address barriers women entrepreneurs commonly face in some of the world’s poorest countries, a statement issued yesterday said. 

Perhaps this reminder will console teachers!

By Editor, 20th March 2013

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Mass failures of students in decisive examinations in Tanzania have for years now left education stakeholders, among them parents, both worried and stunned.
There is still no consensus over what can be done to improve academic and professional performance in our schools and colleges.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Udobi aliyeanza kupata Sh2,000 mpaka Sh 20,000 kwa siku




Na Joseph Zablon, Mwananchi 
Posted  Alhamisi,Marchi14  2013

Tatizo la ajira lina wagusa watu wengi hasa vijana. Wengi wanaangaika kutafuta ajira bila mafanikio huku wengi wakiwa ni wahitimu wa vyuo vikuu.
Kila mwaka vyuo vikuu nchini vinazalisha wataalamu wa kila aina, lakini wengi wamebaki mitaani kutokana na kukosa ajira.

Pele: Hakuna mkato kwenye soka

"Soka barani Afrika mazingira yake yanafanana, hakuna mtoto wa waziri anayecheza soka, wala hakuna mtoto wa mwanasheria au mfanyakazi wa benki ambaye anacheza soka, soka inachezwa na watu wanaotoka kwenye familia duni na hilo ndiyo daraja la kuelekea maisha mazuri,"alisema Pele.
Mwananchi
Posted  Jumatatu, Novemba5  2012 


NYOTA wa zamani wa Ghana na Olympique Marseille, Abedi Pele amewaambia wachezaji chipukizi wa Tanzania kuwa hakuna njia ya mkato katika kutafuta mafanikio katika soka.

Pele, aliyeiongoza Marseille kutwaa ubingwa wa Ulaya mwaka 1992, huku akifunga moja ya mabao dhidi ya AC Milan ya Italia alisema hayo jana asubuhi wakati alipotembelea kituo cha kufundisha wachezaji watoto wa kuanzia umri wa miaka sita hadi 17.

Pele aliwaambia katika kufikia mafanikio hakuna njia ya mkato na aliwataka wafanye jitihada ili watimize ndoto zao ikiwa ni pamoja na timu ya taifa ya vijana chini ya miaka 17 'Serengeti Boys' inahakikisha inafuzu kucheza Fainali za Afrika mwakani.

"Tunaona wachezaji wenye vipaji vikubwa duniani wakifanya jitihada kubwa ili waweze kucheza kwa kiwango cha juu, bila ya kufanya juhudi, kujituma na kudhamiria hauwezi kufanikiwa,"alisema Pele.

Alisema,"Wale wenye vipaji, lakini hawafanyi jitihada hawataendelea, wale wasiojaliwa kuwa na vipaji, lakini wanafanya jitihada, watakwenda mbele na kupata mafanikio," alisema nyota Pele ambaye ameletwa nchini na Shirikisho la Soka Kimataifa (Fifa) kuangalia shughuli mbalimbali za maendeleo ya mpira wa miguu nchini.

"Soka barani Afrika mazingira yake yanafanana, hakuna mtoto wa waziri anayecheza soka, wala hakuna mtoto wa mwanasheria au mfanyakazi wa benki ambaye anacheza soka, soka inachezwa na watu wanaotoka kwenye familia duni na hilo ndiyo daraja la kuelekea maisha mazuri,"alisema Pele.

Pele, ambaye jina lake halisi ni Abedi Ayew aliwataka wachezaji wa timu ya taifa ya vijana 'Serengeti Boys' kufanya kila wawezalo ili wafuzu kucheza Fainali za Mataifa ya Afrika zitakazofanyika Morocco mwakani.

"Mkifuzu mtakuwa mmefungua milango ya mafanikio ya maisha yenu," alisema Pele.

Pele ameambatana na Mkurugenzi wa  Maendeleo wa Fifa kwa nchini za Kusini mwa Afrika, Ashford Mamelodi na mmoja wa viongozi wa Idara ya Mawasiliano ya Fifa, Emmanuel, ambapo  watakuwa nchini kwa siku tatu ili kupata taarifa za shughuli mbalimbali za maendeleo, zikiwamo za soka la watoto (grassroots), soka la vijana, soka la wanawake na miradi mingine ya maendeleo.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Wanakwenda wapi wakifeli kidato cha nne?





Mwananchi, Jumanne, Februari5  2013

MWAKA 2011, nchi ilishuhudia idadi kubwa ya wanafunzi wakifeli mtihani wa kidato cha nne kwa kupata daraja sifuri.Kwa mujibu wa kumbukumbu za Wizara ya Elimu na Mafunzo ya Ufundi, watahiniwa 156,089  sawa na asilimia 46.41ya wahitimu wote walifeli mtihani huo kwa kupata daraja hilo la mwisho.Katika mtihani huo wanafunzi 33,577 pekee sawa na asilimia 9.98 ndio waliopata kuanzia daraja la kwanza hadi la tatu, hivyo kuwa na uhakika wa kuendelea na kidato cha tano.

Kwa mujibu wa mfumo wa elimu nchini, wanaopata daraja la nne, baadhi wako shakani kuendelea na daraja la sekondari ya juu. Katika matokeo hayo, hawa walikuwa 146,639 sawa na asilimia 43.60.Ili kujiunga na kidato cha tano, wanafunzi hawa wanapaswa kuwa na alama C katika masomo yasiyopungua matatu.
Aidha, kwa waliopata daraja sifuri ni sawa na kusema miaka minne ya kuwa shule, wameambulia patupu, kwani kwa mfumo uliopo wa elimu hawawezi kuendelea kusoma, labda warudie mitihani au wajiunge na vyuo vinavyopokea wahitimu wa darasa la saba.
Bila shaka jeshi hili la vijana waliofeli ni kubwa, na kwa kuwa nchi haina utaratibu wa kuwaendeleza, swali kuu ni je, wahitimu hawa wanakwenda wapi, wana sifa ya kuajiriwa au hata kuwa na uwezo wa kujiajiri? Kwa habari zaidi bofya hapa.

Nigeria mabingwa Afcon 2013

Wachezaji wa Nigeria wakishangilia ubingwa wao.


Mwananchi, Jumatatu,Februari11  2013

NIGERIA ilitawala mchezo wa fainali za Kombe la Mataifa ya Afrika na kuifunga Burkina Faso bao 1-0 na kutwaa taji mjini, Johannesburg, Afrika Kusini.
Sunday Mba alikuwa shujaa wa ushindi wa Nigeria (Super Eagles) baada ya kufunga bao pekee dakika tano kabla ya filimbi ya kutenganisha nusu ya mchezo huo mkali ulioshuhudiwa na watazamaji 85,000.
Wilfried Sanou angeweza kusawazisha bao hilo kwa Burkina Faso (Stallions) katikati ya kipindi cha pili, shukrani kwa kipa wa Nigeria Vincent Enyeama aliyecheza vizuri kuokoa hatari hiyo.
Ilikuwa mechi ya kwanza kwa Nigeria hatua ya fainali tangu mwaka 2000, na walikuwa wakipewa nafasi kubwa ya kutwaa taji mbele ya Burkina Faso, taifa dogo Afrika Magharibi.
Burkina Faso haijawahi kuifunga Nigeria katika mechi 12 walizokutana katika mashindano mbalimbali, na hiyo ilitosha kuipa Nigeria nafasi ya kushinda mchezo. Efe Ambrose alikuwa na nafasi tano za kufunga kipindi cha kwanza, lakini ya kukumbukwa zaidi ni pale alipopiga juu mpira akimalizia kiki ya adhabu ndogo kutoka kwa Victor Moses ndani ya dakika saba tangu kuanza mchezo.
Nigeria waliotawala mchezo kwa kiasi kikubwa, walikaribia kufungwa kama siyo, Aristide Bance kupoteza nafasi nzuri ya kufunga baada ya shuti lake la mita 25 kukosea shabaha na kwenda nje ya lango huku.
Nigeria wangeweza kufunga bao la pili kama Ideye angetumia vizuri pasi aliyopewa kuusindikiza kirahisi mpira wavuni, lakini akaishia kupiga nje.
Huo ni ubingwa wa tatu kwa Nigeria, lakini wa kwanza kwa tangu mwaka 1994 walipotwaa mara ya mwisho baada ya kuifunga Zambia mabao 2-1 katika mchezo wa fainali.


Rais Kikwete amjibu Lowassa tatizo la ajira nchini







Na Tausi Mbowe na Habel Chidawali, Dodoma
Posted  Jumatatu,Februari11  2013  saa 24:44 AM
Mwananchi

MWENYEKITI wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Rais Jakaya Kikwete katika hali inayoashiria kumjibu rafiki yake, Edward Lowassa ameponda makada wa chama hicho ambao wamekuwa wakipanda jukwaani kuhubiri kuwa ajira ni tatizo pasipo kupendekeza suluhisho la tatizo hilo.
Rais Kikwete ambaye alikuwa akifungua semina ya siku mbili ya Wajumbe wa Halmashauri Kuu ya Taifa (NEC) ya CCM mjini Dodoma jana, alisema kusimama jukwaani na kusema kwamba ajira ni tatizo hakuna maana ikiwa mhusika hatoi pendekezo la jinsi ya kumaliza tatizo hilo.
Ingawa hakutaja majina ya wanasiasa ambao wamekuwa wakizungumzia suala hilo lakini Lowassa, ambaye alijiuzulu wadhifa wa Waziri Mkuu mwaka 2008, amenukuliwa mara nyingi akiitaka Serikali kuchukua hatua za kukabiliana na tatizo la ajira kwa maneno kwamba ‘ni bomu linalosubiri kulipuka’. Kwa habari zaidi boya Hapa.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Vyuo vya ufundi stadi kichocheo muhimu cha maendeleo ya Taifa





Na Fred Ayazi, Mwananchi. February 5 2013

KILA mwaka, zaidi ya nusu ya wanafunzi wanaohitimu darasa la saba na kidato cha nne, hawapati fursa ya kuendelea na ngazi ya elimu iliyo mbele yao kwa sababu mbalimbali.
Mfano mzuri ni mwaka jana ambapo wanafunzi waliofanya mtihani wa kuhitimu darasa la saba walikuwa 983, 545, lakini waliofaulu ni 567,567. Hivyo wanafunzi 415,978 hawakufanikiwa kuendelea na masomo ya sekondari.
Katika kundi hili wamo watakaosomeshwa na wazazi, walezi ama wafadhili katika shule binafsi. Lakini kuna maelefu wengine watakwama kabisa kuendelea na elimu ya sekondari.
Kwa nchi masikini kama Tanzania, kuzalisha watu zaidi ya 500,000 kila mwaka ambao hawapati ujuzi wowote, ni kuongeza umaskini katika nchi ambayo hivi karibuni tulielezwa kuwa idadi ya watu wake imefika milioni 44.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

UN vows to support young entrepreneurs

Louis Mkuku, National project coordinator  ILO


By Beatrice Philemon, 20th December 2012
 
The United Nations in Tanzania has vowed to support youth entrepreneurs who will be ready to establish businesses or projects to help them set up their own enterprises. The support will be in terms of training and loan facilities, a move that will help to increase productivity, incomes and thereby alleviate poverty.

This was revealed on Tuesday by Louis Mkuku, national project coordinator of the ILO Youth Entrepreneurship Programme during a training for youths out of school, which was organised by the United Nations Information Centre in collaboration with International Labour Organisation (ILO). “Youths who will be ready to embark on projects will be supported by the UN in terms of loan facilities, training and guidance on how to run their businesses," Mkuku said, adding: “This training has been designed to assist you set up your own enterprises and is in line with MDG 1 to ensure people reduce poverty in their familiesl,” he said.
“To meet this initiative today a total of 100 youths out of school from Kigamboni Peer Educators Network, Kibaha Youth Centre, Save the Women Tanzania group, Buguruni Youth Centre and Makangarawe Youth Centre were trained on entrepreneurship skills and how to manage their business so they can help Tanzania meet the Millennium Development Goals, especially goal no 1," he said further.
 
According to him, this is a new programme designed by the UN in Tanzania to help youths put into practice their business concepts or ideas.He said after the support the UN will go back to track their project or business progression and see how it could further help them.

United Nations Information Centre’s public relations officer Usia Ledama said the workshop was intended to awaken youths to create sustainable jobs for themselves and others by incorporating useful techniques such as market analysis, cost listings and record keeping. “We are here not only to enlighten you on the concept of entrepreneurship but also to recognise imagination and innovation of some young women and men seated amongst you and help them identify their wrongs in order to put them right so their businesses can shift to a higher level,” she said.

The participants included members of youth development groups such as Kigamboni Peers Educators Network, Kibada Youth Centre, Save the Women Tanzania Group, Buguruni Youth Centre and Makangarawe Youth Centre.
 
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Youth unemployment a ticking time bomb

President Jakaya Kikwete


Daily News Editor,  17th December 2011

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete said at the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Summit in Kampala, Uganda, that youth unemployment in Africa poses a serious threat to the well-being of societies.

He appealed for intervention. He also advised that incisive intervention by leaders was imperative. Each African nation produces an “army” of unemployed youths every year as they complete their studies, he said.

Indeed, unemployment is a growing problem that has been described by a number of national leaders in various parts of Africa and farther afield as a “dangerous time bomb” that could explode in future.

Africa, in particular, faces demographic challenges as its population of young people, aged between 15 and 25, increases and access to secure jobs continues to be problematic. Beyond economic costs, high rates of youth unemployment have social ramifications in Africa.

Some youths with few job prospects and little hope of future advancement go into crime and become a menace to society. Tanzania, which is no exception, has made efforts to create jobs or opening avenues for self-employment but, unfortunately, most mindsets among jobless youths are fixed on well-paying white-collar jobs.

There has over the years been a massive rural-to-urban migration among many youths in search of employment. One reason for this factor may be dismal agricultural performance. Another could be the warped mindset that education means automatic or salaried employment.

But once in towns, the youths often find themselves stuck in slums with little or no way to make even a survival salary and frustration soon sets in. It is estimated that about 133 million young people (more than 50 per cent of the youth population) in Africa are illiterate.

Many young people have little or no skills and are therefore largely excluded from productive economic and social life. Those that have some education often exhibit skills irrelevant to current demand in the labour market.

The rude shock here is that educational and skill requirements are increasing, resulting in millions of unemployed and underemployed youths.

In countries such as Tanzania, vocational training is seen as a means to “help bring young people back into the economic limelight” when the basic education system has failed (the notion of giving a second chance), or as a top-up to the basic knowledge base.

So, it is assumed that vocational training could help prepare youths for the immediate needs of the world of work. But this approach cannot solve the problem of unemployment fully. The youths still remain short of literacy, basic knowledge and lifelong learning skills.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Happy New Year 2013

YOSSO team wishes a Happy New Year 2013 to all its friends, subscribers and website visitors. With every New Year, we hope to improve our services and provide more assistance to youth in Tanzania and beyond so that they can access training easily and effectively. Thanks to your valued support and continuous feedback, we have managed to develop new strategies and ideas for better training prospects. We are sure more and more youth clubs will now benefit from the trainings we provide on sport and youth development programs and other resources. This year 2013 we will focus on entrepreneurship training programs in youth clubs in respond to surging problem of unemployment among youth in Tanzania

So, once again, a happy and prosperous New Year and we all hope this New Year will bring in more new opportunities for youth around the Tanzania and beyond!