Life Skills Niche
Focuses on job creating activities, how to make a living, poverty reducing work through practical skill transfer and support.
The 1st Millennium Development Goal is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. A critical way to do this is through the support of life skills. MDG 1 aims at halving the percentage of people living on less than $1/day and halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. These targets go hand in hand. When income increases, the ability to buy food increases, which reduces the risk of starvation. To accomplish these goals we must achieve full and productive employment for all, including women and youth by 2015.
Life Skills in Africa
- 51% of people in sub-Saharan Africa live on less than $1.25/day
- 29% of people in Africa are under nourished
Providing life skills to individuals has an incredible multiplying effect on African communities. Some of our Grassroots Partners offer training in agriculture, wood working, and tailoring.
Microfinance is a particularly effective route to enhance the practical outlets for skills. A number of our Grassroots Partners compliment their life skills training with micro loans to start people off. These come with practical business training and money management skills.
Others employ persons to provide basic crafts and products that are sold for a profit of the individuals and the organizations themselves.
Volunteering with Life Skills Programs & Services
Volunteers can work along groups for training, education, and support of initiatives. Numerous organizations look for assistance with computer training. Others look for support in parenting, health, and sanitation information and support.
Donate
If you are interested in donating towards a microfinance initiative of one of our Grassroots Partners, contact us for more information.
If you are interested in purchasing some of the products provided by some of our Grassroots Partners, check out our store.
Learn More
- 1st MDG
- Banker to the Poor by Muhammad Yunus
If you have specific questions regarding SpanAfrica’s Life Skills niche, grassroots and volunteers can contact us to put you in touch with past volunteers, team members, and grassroots partners that can provide first-hand insights.