Learn4Work targets one of the root causes of child labour: lack of both income and economic opportunities. By investing in Technical Vocational Education and Training, Learn4Work ensures that people get the knowledge and skills which are useful to obtain a job or start a small business. When parents or caretakers have a sustainable income, they can support their children, younger siblings or other dependants to go to school. But Learn4Work also targets the victims of child labour themselves: children are trained and supported to get an income, provided that these income-generating activities can be combined with schooling.

A special feature of Learn4Work is that numerous and diverse organisations work together to improve vocational education. Not only development organisations, but also schools and training institutes, central and local governments and knowledge institutes share their expertise. Projects supported by Learn4Work have an international dimension. Linking the Dutch society to Learn4Work projects enhances mutual learning and increases the awareness of the importance of international

On the basis of the above unique opportunities that learn4work offer to children and youth in the world of work, NECPAD and its southern partners are implementing the project entitled “Child Labour Elimination and Youth in Agri-Business Project in 3 districts in the Western Region of Ghana co-funded by Learn4Work of Netherlands with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project is managed by Edukans nl. (Netherlands) and seeks to place children in schools, informal TVET training and in agri-business to improve food security.

The Project seeks to do the following:

– Contribute to progressive elimination of child labour in agriculture (cocoa sector) through withdrawal and rehabilitation processes, school placements (including transitional education/levelling), and informal/apprenticeship training etc.

– Reduce poverty through improved incomes to the youth

– Promote Food security

– Link TVET to the Labour Market

– Improve attractiveness of TVET

– Supporting and linking beneficiary youth to financial services towards self-employment

The Long term of the Project is to contribute to the substantial and sustainable improvement in the quality of life of children and the youth through increased access to education, improved incomes and food security.