Risolat Gulmamadova, a 19-year-old female from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) studies Economics at the Khorog State University (KSU). From a very early age, she was interested in opening her own business. “It was something I always was thinking about. Being independent, taking care of your own activities, engaging, and supporting others through my business,” says Risolat.
Although Risolat had dreams of opening her own business, she was not sure what type of business to pursue. There are many young people like Risolat in GBAO, who face similar challenges when it comes to following the path of entrepreneurship. Youth fear difficulties associated with starting and running a business, such as unfavorable economic conditions for businesses in the region and a lack of knowledge and experience in developing entrepreneurship skills. Because of this, many potential businesses minded youth choose a stable job with low income instead of starting their own business.
Risolat wanted to follow her dreams of opening her own business however. When she went to volunteer at the American Corner, Khorog, she saw an announcement about the Youth Entrepreneurship and Employability Skills (YES) training. Risolat asked questions to learn about the training and immediately took the opportunity to apply.
YES was piloted in December 2021 under Local Impact, a partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and implemented by the Mountain Societies Development Support Project (MSDSP). Focusing on Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) and Khatlon region of Tajikistan, YES is aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and employability skills for youth of 15–18 years and 19–24 years respectively.
During the YES sessions, Risolat learned how to develop a business plan, calculate the budget, effectively communicate ideas to others, and other skills important for creating a business. “This is where I explored what kind of business I want to open. From 15 years old, I took care of my little sister, and after that, many relatives when going somewhere, asked me to take care of their children for some hours. I like children, so I was doing it happily. I had all the skills of properly taking care of them.”
While at the YES sessions, Risolat decided to turn her skills into a business by becoming a nanny. “I was taught how to calculate the budget for my business, and I was drafting it, shared with our trainee, received feedback, and worked on them.”
Well equipped with her knowledge and skills, Risolat now works as a nanny during her free time. “Before, I was doing it for free, now I get paid for it. I will see how it works further and will expand my business.”
Risolat is hoping to expand her business and open a center that connects nannies with families who need childcare. “Not everyone can afford to give their children to kindergarten, or not everyone is working, so many people take care of their children themselves. But sometimes, they also need to go out and run their errands so this is where we can support.”
Risolat is the first to offer a nannying service in GBAO. She plans to save money to buy a good mobile phone and laptop to effectively communicate with families and work on her business expansion.
Since its launch, YES graduated 102 alumni across the GBAO and Khatlon regions, equipping them with 21st century skills important for securing desirable jobs and internships. These skills include improved personal skills, like critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, interpersonal skills, like communication and leadership, and an increased understanding of financial concepts.
One unique aspect of the YES program is continued support for alumni. After the YES sessions, the program further engages alumni in opportunities like the Youth Day celebration. In May 2022, YES graduates from GBAO and Khatlon region traveled to Dushanbe for the celebration organized by the Coalition of Employers and had the chance to connect with employers and skills providers to find job and internship opportunities.
Out of 102 alumni of YES, 10 young people now have their own start-ups, and more than 15 were able to get internships and secure jobs.