Successful in Senegal

Employment and income prospects for young people and returners

More than 80 per cent of people in Senegal are under the age of 35. Major challenges are high unemployment, underemployment and informal employment in this age group, especially among women and in rural regions. The project "Successful in Senegal", which is funded by the Bavarian State Chancellery, aims to create employment and income prospects. It supports young people to gain qualifications, enter the labour market and start their own businesses.

Back in 2018, a Bavarian competence centre was opened in Thiès: the "Centre Bavarois – Réussir au Sénégal". The building serves as a contact point as well as a centre for training and continuing education, coaching and cultural events. Through other offices in Dakar, Kolda, Tambacounda and St. Louis, the project "Réussir au Senegal" is active nationwide in order to provide young people with better opportunities for professional qualifications and secure employment. 

Training programmes for rapid entry into employment 

The Free State of Bavaria has taken over the sponsorship of the Thiès region within the project. Medium-sized companies from Bavaria and Germany are active locally. Experts from Senegal are networked with state and scientific institutions and companies in Bavaria via seminars in Germany. Training programmes promote rapid entry into employment in Senegal.  

Renewable energies – for example in the areas of trade, agriculture and services – play a key role in creating new opportunities for employment or business start-ups. In addition, there are collaborative partnerships with creative businesses and many local companies. This also creates new communication channels and dialogue formats. Consulting firms, training centres, schools and chambers of crafts and commerce work together on local vocational training.   

eLearning to improve employability 

Between 2018 and October 2022, around 11,000 young people in the Thiès region, including more than 4,000 women, received starting opportunities or opportunities to improve their economic prospects. Within the framework of a development partnership with the German company Gauff, training programmes for solar technicians are being realised. This also benefits the power supply for 300 villages. eLearning was expanded during the pandemic. With the help of Bavarian co-financing, an online platform for eLearning programmes has been established so that young people can continue to improve their employability.