Agro_Forest
The activity involved the preparation of polythene bags and planting of fruit tree and environmental seedlings for distribution to beneficiaries in February 2027. The initiative aims to promote environmental conservation, increase fruit production, and support sustainable agricultural practices among local communities.
On a bright Monday morning in late September, sixty young men and women from across the Njombe region filed into the newly completed Njombe Development Organization Youth Skills and Entrepreneurship Centre for the first time. For many, it represented a second chance — an opportunity to gain practical skills and chart a path out of unemployment.
The centre, built on land donated by the Catholic Diocese of Njombe and constructed with support from Misereor and the European Union, offers four vocational tracks: tailoring and fashion design, carpentry and joinery, information and communications technology, and small business management. Each course runs for six months and combines hands-on training with business literacy and life skills education.
Youth unemployment in the Njombe region stands at over 35%, according to regional government data — a challenge that Njombe Development Organization has long identified as a root cause of poverty and social instability. The new centre is designed to address that gap directly, equipping young people not just with trade skills but with the confidence and entrepreneurial mindset to create their own livelihoods.
"I dropped out of secondary school when my father became ill," said Amina Salehe, 22, one of the first students enrolled in the ICT track. "I thought my future was closed. But now I am learning skills that can take me anywhere. I want to open my own computer repair shop in Njombe."
Bishop Methodius Kilaini of the Diocese of Njombe presided over the opening ceremony, blessing the facility and calling on the wider community to support the centre's work. "The Church has always believed in the dignity of work," he said. "This centre is our commitment to the young people of Njombe — that we see their potential and we will invest in their future."
Applications for the second cohort, beginning in January 2027, are now open. Priority will be given to young people from low-income households, orphans, and youth with disabilities. Contact the Njombe Development Organization office for details.