In pictures: Building skills for Timor-Leste's future
Around half of Timor-Leste's youths are unemployed. See how Plan is helping them to build a future.
Economic security
A plumbing vocational training course in Timor-Leste
Children are often the first to feel the effects of poverty, being forced to go hungry or leave school to earn an income for the family.
Plan works with community partners to ensure that families in extreme poverty have the skills they need to increase their income and can access financial services.
In 2011, Plan trained 165,148 people in agricultural, vocational and business skills. We also supported 2,119 microfinance organisations and 77,792 local savings and loans groups.
Youth opportunities
Over the next decade, 1.3 billion young people will be entering the workforce, but only 300,000,000 new jobs are expected to be created.
To reduce poverty, one of our key priorities is to make sure that young people have opportunities for decent employment.
From financial literacy to vocational training and apprenticeships, we work to harness the tremendous power of this new generation to help break the cycle of poverty.
Loans and savings
Hundreds of thousands of people have achieved financial stability through our microfinance partnerships, which provide small loans to poor women and youths.
We also support village loans and savings schemes. Having access to lump sums and building savings, helps people to protect their households from emergencies and plan for the future.
Case studies
Garden project improves lives in Zimbabwe
A Plan-supported gardening project in Mutasa, eastern Zimbabwe, is producing enough food to feed a community and help them raise income to pay for their children's school fees.
Salamatu's school dream comes true
Two years ago Salamatu was forced to drop out of business school in Sierra Leone when she could no longer afford the tuition fees – but now she's back with help from Plan.
First skills school opens in Sudan
Young people from war-torn South Sudan are learning the skills they need to prosper, thanks to the country’s first vocational and technical school.
Microfinance: Helping families break the cycle of poverty
Plan-supported microfinance schemes are helping some of the poorest people in the world to access credit, invest in their businesses and break the cycle of poverty.
