Economic resilience is key to a brighter future
People are more resilient when they have access to well-paid, meaningful employment. Enabling access to fair and decent employment and improving existing jobs are vital to ending poverty and inequality. This is why we focus on sharing skills and nurturing partnerships so everyone can succeed, and communities can prosper.
Why economic resilience matters
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People live in extreme poverty. The coronavirus virus pandemic has reversed steady progress in poverty reduction, with the number of people in extreme poverty increasing for the first time in a generation. We are promoting socio-economic integration in the communities where we work to ensure a dignified way of living for all.
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People are unemployed worldwide. We work with educators, employers, civil society, and governments to increase access to education, entrepreneurship training, business management, hands-on-instruction, and access to start-up resources.
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of all young workers in developing countries are informally employed and have little to no job protection. We work with vulnerable populations to recognize their social and economic rights. We provide hands-on training, education opportunities and employment support so people are equipped with the tools and information they need to succeed.
Projects That Work
We collaborate with private sector businesses, governments, civil society organizations and others to create inclusive and sustainable opportunities in the areas of employment, entrepreneurship, natural resources management and food security.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Honduras
Women and other vulnerable populations face greater barriers to employment and higher rates of discrimination when it comes to economic opportunities. Cuso International is partnering with communities and the public/private sector to provide business development training, inclusive hiring training, and workshops to build a more resilient business and entrepreneurial environment that works for Honduran women.
Tackling Poverty through Canadian Engagement
Our vision of a world free of poverty means everyone has a role to play. Our highly skilled volunteers advise and consult with organizations in developing countries to make real and lasting impacts. With an emphasis on gender equality and the goal of reaching 1.8 million people over the next seven years (2020-27) in Benin, Cameroon, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Honduras, Jamaica, Nigeria, Peru, and Tanzania, our Volunteer for Development Program will send Canadian volunteers to help our local partners advance the Strategic Development Goals.
Creating opportunities for Young Refugees in Nigeria
Since 2017, thousands of Cameroonians have fled their country to seek safety, stability and a better life in Nigeria. The project is providing life skills training, access to start-up capital, entrepreneurship and technical skills for refugees in agriculture, livestock and fisheries.
Working with Indigenous Youth in Northern Canada
Cuso International volunteers work alongside Indigenous communities in the Northwest Territories to address low graduation rates, improve education outcomes and promote truth and reconciliation with non-Indigenous citizens. Our Canadian Program also seeks to remove barriers to online learning among First Nations, Métis and Inuit secondary school students.
Creating Opportunities for Migrants and Victims of Conflict in Colombia
An unstable social, economic and political environment has been challenging for Colombians seeking steady work, especially for Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia. In addition to strengthening the ability of local municipalities to design and implement inclusive employment programs and policies, Cuso International staff and volunteers are helping with skills training, technical workshops for small business owners, and diversity training for private sector companies. In 2019, our project was named most innovative in Colombia by the Colombian Presidential Agency for International Cooperation.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, its donors and supporters.
