GREDO TVET Youth Training in Juba — Youth participating in GREDO’s UNICEF-supported TVET program in Juba.

Skills for Second Chances

GREDO’s UNICEF-Supported TVET Youth Empowerment Program – Juba

By Bandi Githigi

Empowering vulnerable youths and adolescents with skills, dignity, and pathways to safe livelihoods.

Implemented by GREDO
with support from:

Transforming Youth Through Skills and Opportunity

Across Juba, a powerful shift is unfolding — one skill, one youth, and one transformation at a time. Through the support of UNICEF, GREDO is implementing a comprehensive Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program that equips vulnerable youths and adolescents with practical skills, hope, and pathways to dignified livelihoods.

Many of these young people have faced overwhelming challenges — exposure to drugs, gang pressure, conflict, or prolonged unemployment. This program gives them something rare and powerful: a second chance.

GREDO MHPSS Session Before TVET Lessons — GREDO MHPSS session offering emotional support before the start of daily TVET lessons.

Why Skills Matter

At GREDO, we believe skill-building is not just education — it is protection, restoration, and empowerment.

Economic Empowerment

Technical skills create immediate pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance for youths and their families.

Social Stability

Structured learning replaces negative coping mechanisms and gang influence with purpose, routine, and responsibility.

Restored Hope

Skills help young people rediscover confidence, identity, and belonging in their communities.

Market-Driven Courses in High Demand

Our program focuses on professions that offer employment opportunities across South Sudan’s fast-growing economy.

Electrical Installation & Wiring
Plumbing & Pipe Fitting
Masonry & Building Technology
Welding & Metal Fabrication

Carpentry & Joinery
Tailoring, Fashion & Design
Auto Mechanics
Catering & Hospitality

GREDO TVET Practical Skills Training — Trainees engaging in hands-on practical sessions during vocational skills training.

Supporting the Most Vulnerable Youths

This program is tailored for youths and adolescents who are:

Exposed to drugs and substance abuse
Under the influence of local gang groups or at risk of recruitment
Out of school due to conflict, poverty, or displacement
Living in high-risk communities with limited livelihood options
Searching for a safe, structured pathway toward self-reliance

“Many of our trainees come from environments where opportunities are scarce. TVET gives them a foundation to rebuild their lives.”

Youth and Adolescent Program (YAP)

More Than Skills — A Complete Support System

Thanks to UNICEF’s support, the TVET program goes beyond teaching trades. We integrate a holistic package that looks at the whole person:

Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)

Professional counselling and group support for youths affected by trauma, loss, or family breakdown.

Life Skills & Values Education

Training in communication, conflict resolution, decision-making, leadership, and financial literacy.

Mentorship & Coaching

Youth mentors and instructors guide learners through personal growth, discipline, and work ethics.

Career Development & Linkages

Connections to workshops, garages, hotels, and construction sites for apprenticeships and job placements.

GREDO TVET Workshop Training — Workshop-based training enabling youth to gain employable, market-ready technical skills.

From Risk to Resilience

The TVET centres provide a structured environment that replaces negative influences with purpose, mentorship, and productive engagement. Many participants move from long hours on the streets to meaningful time in workshops, classrooms, and mentorship sessions.

“A skill is not just a certificate — it is a shield against hopelessness.”

Positive Change in Motion

Through this TVET program in Juba, with UNICEF’s support, we are already seeing encouraging results:

Youths gain immediate, employable technical skills.
Parents and caregivers report improved discipline and behaviour at home.
Graduates start small businesses or join existing workplaces through apprenticeships.
Participants become positive influencers among their peers, discouraging gang involvement and drug abuse.
Communities benefit from improved services, renewed hope, and increased stability.

Made Possible Through UNICEF’s Support

This work is made possible through the unwavering support of UNICEF, whose partnership enables GREDO to provide tools, training materials, qualified instructors, psychosocial services, and safe learning spaces for vulnerable youths in Juba.

Together, we are investing in a generation that can rebuild families, communities, and ultimately the nation.

Scaling Skills, Expanding Hope

GREDO aims to expand the TVET model to more communities across South Sudan, introduce additional courses, strengthen labour-market linkages, and support graduates with start-up toolkits and continued mentoring.

Our vision is simple but powerful: a generation of skilled, confident, and resilient youth who drive the future of South Sudan.

Partner With Us — Be Part of the Change

GREDO welcomes partnerships with organisations, businesses, and individuals who wish to support apprenticeships, job placements, or toolkits for trained youths.

GREDO – Youth & Adolescent Program (YAP)
Juba, South Sudan
www.gredoea.org
info@gredoea.org