[{"bbox": [129, 135, 1099, 193], "category": "Text", "text": "their needs at one point in time, and new needs in terms of skills, linking to new markets and access to finance arose downstream which heavily affected the success of their businesses."}, {"bbox": [129, 205, 1101, 639], "category": "Text", "text": "The above mentioned Jobs for Youth programme of the African Development Bank is the only comprehensive programme that addresses multiple modes of intervention as this proposed action. However, certain key elements of the project are not working as expected largely due to capacity shortcomings of the main implementer, the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development, particularly with regards to entrepreneurship education and sustainable enterprise development, business incubators designs and operations. The project's financial inclusiveness component has also encountered difficulties in terms of management of the envisaged matching grant arrangements and the slow roll-out of appropriate financial instruments for the target group. The difficulties include weak assessment systems to determine qualifying candidates for business financing. This was compounded by the programme's failure to provide additional, consistent, longer-term business mentorship support and handholding to businesses that received financing and acquired equipment. Business failure was thus registered despite accessing finance and some initial business support. Ideally, the programme was designed to ensure that businesses would buy equipment and expand. The Jobs for Youth project also faces coordination and complementarity challenges across components."}, {"bbox": [129, 651, 1101, 825], "category": "Text", "text": "From the above experiences, it is therefore important to address the key constraints that entrepreneurs face in their entrepreneurial journey, from ideation stage to fully established stage. It is also important to identify implementing partners that have the technical capacity to understand and deliver on the objectives. Finally, the design of the seed financing and matching grant schemes will be critical to ensure it fits the needs of beneficiaries but also the interests of financial organisations in charge of implementation."}, {"bbox": [129, 837, 1101, 1070], "category": "Text", "text": "On the other hand, solar energy had a positive role in boosting SMEs, this is the case of low-tech solar tents for drying fish, solar-powered pumps for small irrigation schemes and solar energy for promoting women-led small businesses. Under the proposed action it is also envisaged that feasibility studies will inform the implementation of certain activities: these could cover areas such as the positioning of business incubators within TEVET centres, or the most appropriate arrangements for a financing facility for MSMEs and TEVET graduates. A substantive learning agenda will also be integrated in the action implementation to ensure continuous learning and steer programme implementation."}, {"bbox": [129, 1081, 1101, 1226], "category": "Text", "text": "The action is also aligned with the European External Investment Plan (EIP), for instance in terms of supporting an enabling business environment (pillar 3) more conducive to investment. It is expected that the action will contribute to the development of a strong domestic private sector, which will then be in a better position to partner with international investment efforts and meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."}, {"bbox": [129, 1281, 480, 1306], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION"}, {"bbox": [129, 1351, 1024, 1380], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.1 Overall objective, specific objectives, expected outputs and indicative activities"}, {"bbox": [129, 1392, 1101, 1475], "category": "Text", "text": "The **Overall Objective** (OO) of this action is to increase employability and self-employment opportunities available to young TEVET graduates and entrepreneurs, with special attention to women's needs."}, {"bbox": [129, 1490, 1101, 1579], "category": "Text", "text": "The **Specific Objectives** (SO) of the action are 1) to improve the workforce qualifications and access of TEVET graduates to employment; 2) to promote entrepreneurial culture, sustainable enterprise creation and decent, formal jobs."}, {"bbox": [603, 1665, 630, 1690], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "13"}]