Dakar, March 16, 2023 – The Second Chance School program arrives in Dakar, Senegal, after its launch in other African countries. Initiated by Ford and Ford Motor Company Fund in partnership with the NGO Tibu Africa, this socio-economic program aims to promote the employability and social entrepreneurship of 50 women and young beneficiaries in the NEET (Neither in Education, Employment or Training) situation, aged 18 to 29, from Senegal.
Through its global partner GlobalGiving, Ford Motor Company Fund – the philanthropic branch of Ford – is donating 42 million CFA Francs (70,000 USD) to support Tibu Africa in setting up this program, which will benefit 50 young Senegalese with 9 months of alternating training and 3 months of follow-up and tutoring.
The objective is to prepare and support these beneficiaries towards professional and social integration in the sports industries, which opens up several prospects and broadens the scope of intervention towards the employment of beneficiaries without qualifications, equipping them with the necessary tools and skills.
With this initiative, several young people will benefit from high-impact programs in Senegal on key themes for personal and professional success, while working on sustainable impact for their communities through social and sports entrepreneurship and innovation.
“We firmly believe that sports can bring systemic change to local communities. Helping to strengthen the communities in which we operate has always been a core priority for Ford. It is in this spirit that we are bringing a global and multidimensional project that will enable 50 young Dakarois to access decent work. Ford’s commitment to North African and sub-Saharan African countries is not just business-centered. Around the world, the company’s efforts to improve community life include education, poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, road safety, and environmental initiatives,” says Hajar Dinar, Communications Director for North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa at Ford.
The “L’école de la 2ème chance by Tibu Africa” program is a true societal project that involves various actors from civil society, government institutions, and the private sector, working together to bring social and economic benefits to young people. In this context, Hajar Dinar affirms that “We are delighted with this partnership and committed to making it a success.”
The aim of the program is to provide beneficiaries with the necessary skills to take up positions primarily related to sports or in the sports industry. Through this project, beneficiaries will be able to pursue careers as sports coaches, sports managers, or entrepreneurs in the field of sports education.
“We are delighted to continue our collaboration with our partner Ford. We have been working together on several high-impact projects for several years. This new partnership only confirms the excellence of this alliance. We are confident that the results of this new initiative will be as successful as the previous ones, and that others will follow in the future,” said Mohamed Amine Zariat, Ashoka Fellow & Founder-President of Tibu Africa.
The project revolves around three important axes, including alternating training and the acquisition of technical and behavioral skills, professional experience in sports education programs, and support for access to employment through internships and workshops aimed at improving the employability of young people.
Thus, beneficiaries of this program will use their learning to serve their communities, increasing the attractiveness of this region and correcting its public image.
For the implementation of this program, activities will be carried out over a period of 12 months, including alternating training and the acquisition of technical and behavioral skills. In the first instance, the program’s beneficiaries will be selected through a predefined process aimed at choosing young people with significant experience in sports and in need of professional integration. Then the beneficiaries will undergo a professional experience in sports education programs, with the goal of allowing them a real immersion in the market…
