Central African Republic - A literacy and business start-up training program targeting beneficiaries participating in the “Cash for Work” activities of IOM Central African Republic was launched Monday, 14 March in Boda, some 150 km southeast of CAR’s capital Bangui.

The activities are implemented in the framework of the “Community Stabilization for at-risk communities in the Central African Republic (CAR)” project financed by the European Union.

IOM launched the training program jointly with the Ministry of Education in order to enhance the overall impact of the project by increasing the literacy rates and improving business skills in communities highly affected by the recent conflict.

The training will provide beneficiaries with the skills to open a small business with funds gained through cash-for-work activities. It will consist of courses in alphabetization, basic accounting and business set-up. Through this initiative, IOM is aiming to reach 40,000 beneficiaries in the coming 12 months.

“Especially in the communities targeted by this project, illiteracy rates, particularly among youth, are extremely high. This follows years of insecurity, closed schools and often multiple periods of protracted displacement. Providing beneficiaries with the opportunity to not only gain a start-up capital for a livelihood-generating activity, but to also provide them with basic skills to manage a business of their choice will create a higher likelihood of success and increase chances for the durability of the intervention,” said Anne Schaefer, Project Manager.

The implementation of the program is conducted jointly with IOM’s national partner, the “Directorate of Literacy and Non Formal Education Base” (DAEBNF), as such ensuring that the program is in accordance with national standards.

In the first phase, a two-week training-of-trainers program for instructors is organized in Bangui jointly with the Directorate, targeting 40 instructors to be dispatched to Boda, Kaga Bandoro, N’Délé and Bambari.

In the second phase – in April, after the launch of the training in Boda – activities will be further be expanded to Kaga Bandoro and N’Délé.

IOM’s Community Stabilization Project, funded by the European Union, aims at contributing to the stability and early recovery of communities heavily affected by the widespread violence since December 2013.

The three main components of the project include local market revitalization, infrastructure rehabilitation, and social cohesion projects.  By engaging community members and revitalizing social spaces and infrastructure, the social cohesion projects endeavor to strengthen dialogue and solidarity within mixed communities. Since its inauguration in March 2014 the project reached over 320,000 beneficiaries.

For further information, please contact: Anne Schaefer, IOM CAR.  Tel: +2367 2187635, Email: aschaefer@iom.int