The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and the Kinshasa Digital Academy announced yesterday the signing of a partnership to train Congolese youths in digital skills.

As part of this program, they launched the "Generation Unlimited" (GenU) initiative to ensure that 10 million young students aged 10 to 24 “are in school, learning remotely, benefitting from an alternative learning opportunity, receiving professional training or in employment by 2030.” The city of Kinshasa will first benefit from the program before it is expanded to Lubumbashi, Mbuji-Mayi, and Goma.

According to Edouard Beigbeder (pictured, left), Unicef's representative in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Generation Unlimited initiative offers vocational solutions to young people currently without much hope for the future. “It is vital that we continue our collaboration with these critically important partners - as well as civil society- if we are successfully to continue our work to help young people,” he stressed.

Unicef believes that in a rapidly changing global economy, which requires increasingly specialized skills at a time when many education systems are struggling, Generation Unlimited is a real way out. The initiative is part of the United Nations Secretary-General's Youth Strategy 2030. It complements the Organization's existing programs for adolescents and youth.

Bringing together partners, including government agencies, private companies, universities, international organizations, and civil society organizations, Generation Unlimited focuses on secondary education, learning skills, employability, and decent work, as well as empowerment.

Beyond training Congolese youth, Generation Unlimited will also facilitate their connection to government officials, business leaders, financial institutions, and members of civil society, creating an enabling environment for their development. This will include coaching, skill-building, networking, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Muriel Edjo