Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.
News Release
$3M awarded to World Education by US Labor Department for a youth initiative in Uganda
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of a $3 million cooperative agreement to World Education to implement a project that addresses exploitative labor among youth under the age of 18 in Uganda. The project will provide training to youth to help them develop marketable skills and serve as civic leaders in their communities.
"With the youngest population in the world, Africa faces the acute challenge of providing its young people with opportunities for decent work," said Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Carol Pier. "This project aims to equip youth with the skills and resources they need to escape poverty and exploitative child labor and become leaders in their communities."
The project will provide youth with formal education and training in entrepreneurship and agribusiness. It will also support and encourage them to take on leadership roles within their communities. For families, the project will help them improve their livelihoods through skills training and income-generating opportunities. The project is intended to serve as a pilot initiative that could be replicated in other African countries. It will support President Obama's http://youngafricanleaders.state.gov.
Young African Leaders Initiative, which is focused on investing in the next generation of African leaders and strengthening partnerships between the United States and Africa.
Since 1995, ILAB projects have rescued approximately 1.7 million children from exploitative child labor. The Labor Department has funded 275 such projects implemented by more than 65 organizations in 93 countries. ILAB currently oversees more than $245 million of active programming to combat the worst forms of child labor. The 12th edition of ILAB's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor can be found at www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/findings/. More information is available at www.dol.gov/ilab/.
Information on the Young African Leaders Initiative can be found at http://youngafricanleaders.state.gov.
Editor's Note: Read Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Carol Pier's Transforming Dreams for Child Laborers blog post about the department's efforts to reduce child labor globally through its cooperative agreements.
