Kit Distribution Ceremony: CADEV Niger Strengthens the Empowerment of Young People, Women and Persons with Disabilities

Entrepreneurship among young people, women and persons with disabilities (PWD) is a key driver of economic growth and job creation in Niger, where more than half the population is under 25. Yet these young people continue to face major challenges, particularly a lack of qualifying training and limited access to financing.

To address these challenges, the COHERENCE programme (Social Cohesion and Community Resilience Programme), implemented by CADEV Niger, trained 184 young people, women and PWD from the communes of Gaffati (Mirriah department), Goula and Korahane (Dakoro department).

These beneficiaries were trained by the Vocational Training Centres (CFM) in several promising trades, including:
wood and metal carpentry, food processing, building electrical work, cosmetics, among others.
At the end of this training, and in collaboration with the intervention communes, workshops (hangars) were made available to them to serve as work sites.

A Decisive Step Toward Empowerment

On Tuesday 7 April 2026, the commune of Korahane hosted the official ceremony for the distribution of kits to the trained young entrepreneurs. The event was co-chaired by the Diocesan Director of CADEV Niger, Mr. Abdoulmoumouni ILLO, and the Mayor of the commune, Lieutenant Alio Ouma ISSA, in the presence of the programme Coordinator, Mr. Moussa SAWA.

In total, 35 beneficiaries, including 20 women and 2 persons with disabilities, received their start-up kits, marking a key milestone in their entrepreneurial journey.

A Call for Responsibility and Commitment

In his address, the Diocesan Director recalled CADEV Niger’s commitment to supporting communities toward empowerment. He urged beneficiaries to make wise use of the skills they had acquired and the equipment made available to them:

“CADEV Niger has done its part. It is now up to you to make the most of this opportunity by developing sustainable, income-generating activities.”

He also commended the involvement of local authorities and the quality of the guidance provided by the CFM trainers, while encouraging them to continue supporting the young entrepreneurs.

A Partnership for Local Development

The COHERENCE programme is funded by the Belgian Government through the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGD), with the support of Caritas International Belgium and Caritas Luxembourg.