Secure livelihoods for vulnerable youth in Senegal

Dear friend,

What does it really take for a young person to complete vocational training?

At Aspyre Africa, we have always believed the answer is much bigger than paying training fees. Lasting success depends on the people who surround that young person: parents who make daily sacrifices, trainers who refuse to give up on struggling students, employers who offer opportunities, and communities that believe every young person deserves a chance.

During my recent visit to our new government partner vocational training centres in Dakar, I was encouraged to discover centres that share this same vision.

What impressed me most wasn't their workshops or equipment—it was their commitment. Despite limited resources, the directors and trainers know their students well, work closely with families, and do everything they can to prevent vulnerable young people from dropping out. They are not waiting for someone else to solve the problem; they are already part of the solution.

That is exactly why we chose to partner with them.

We are not looking for training centres that need rescuing. We are looking for partners who already believe in their students and are doing everything they can with the resources available. Our role is to strengthen those efforts.

Before a young person joins our programme, we spend time getting to know them through individual interviews, family visits and discussions with local partners. Some are preparing to enrol in vocational training for the first time; others are already studying but are at risk of dropping out. In both cases, our goal is the same: to identify motivated young people, understand the barriers they face and help them build a realistic pathway towards employment and independence.

Whenever possible, we work with training centres and partners to mobilise existing sources of support—including government funding through the 3FPT—so that Aspyre Africa's resources can be focused where the need is greatest.

Where gaps remain, Aspyre Africa steps in—not only with financial support, but with ongoing mentoring and follow-up throughout each young person's training. By staying connected with students, families and training centres, we can often resolve challenges before they become reasons to drop out.

Over the past few months, one message has come through clearly from everyone we met: when everyone is committed, even modest support can unlock extraordinary potential.

Demba, who is training in electromechanics, told us:

"I often missed classes because I had to work to pay my fees and transport. Thanks to Aspyre Africa's support, I can now focus fully on my training."

A parent shared:

"Even with our financial difficulties, we have done everything we can to keep our children in training. Aspyre Africa's support is a great relief and allows us to focus on their education."

One of our partner training centres explained:

"We continue supporting students even when they fall behind with fees because we know how vulnerable many families are. Aspyre Africa's support helps ensure they can continue learning."

These three voices remind us that no young person succeeds alone.

Since our last update, we have signed partnership agreements with five government vocational training centres and supported 56 young people, including 36 girls, to continue vocational training.

One visit that particularly stayed with me was to the training centre in Bargny. I was inspired by the creativity of the trainers, who have built a welcoming and inclusive learning environment despite limited resources. It is exactly this kind of partnership that gives us confidence for the future.

Thank you for making this work possible.

Your support does far more than remove financial barriers. It enables us to identify the young people who need us most, work alongside their families, strengthen committed training centres and accompany each student on their journey towards employment and independence.

Together, we are proving that poverty should never be the reason a determined young person is forced to abandon their future.

Thank you for believing, as we do, that it truly takes a village to build a future.

With gratitude,

Savina Geerinckx
Founder & Director, Aspyre Africa