Ouagadougou: The Minister of Sports, Youth and Employment, Roland Somda, has initiated a series of training sessions for 3,500 young volunteers and post-volunteers in self-employment across Burkina Faso’s 13 regions. Organized by the Public Interest Group – National Volunteer Program in Burkina Faso (GIP-PNVB), this initiative seeks to enhance the transition from volunteering to employment and self-employment, aiming for a more developed and resilient Burkina Faso.

According to Burkina Information Agency, these three-day training sessions are intended to equip participants with essential tools for professional integration, focusing on self-employment, qualifying training, and the development of entrepreneurial and technical skills. Minister Somda highlighted the role of volunteering as a foundational element of citizenship, civic engagement, and social cohesion, which have been instrumental in the development of many nations.

The training is themed ‘National volunteering: a strategic lever of patriotic commitment serving capacity building and promoting professional integration’. Djourmit© Nestor Nouf©, the Director General of GIP-PNVB, emphasized that the initiative is designed to support volunteers who often face unemployment or underemployment after their service. Nouf© noted that the volunteers’ commitment goes beyond generosity, representing a significant contribution to societal well-being.

Volunteer representative Souleymane Baro expressed gratitude on behalf of his peers to the National Volunteer Program, which has been instrumental since 2008 in fostering model citizens. Baro appreciated the initiative’s potential to enhance their skills and prepare them for productive roles in the professional sphere, whether through employment, self-employment, or entrepreneurship.