A youth development programme in Tanzania has equipped 240 young people with vocational, entrepreneurship and peacebuilding skills as part of efforts to expand economic opportunities and strengthen social cohesion.
The Dumisha Amani II initiative is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Government of Tanzania through the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA), the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) and China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Ltd (CPP).
Funded by the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund and the Government of China, the programme targets young people in Mtwara, Lindi, Ruvuma and Kigoma regions.
The initiative combines practical vocational training with entrepreneurship, financial management and peacebuilding, with the aim of helping young people access employment, establish businesses and contribute positively to their communities.
Participants received training in a range of trades, including electrical installation, laboratory technology, cookery, event decoration, tailoring, mechanical skills and other practical areas linked to local economic opportunities.
Graduation ceremonies were held across the participating regions following weeks of intensive hands-on training. The Mtwara ceremony was attended by UNDP Resident Representative Shigeki Komatsubara and China’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Chen Mingjian.
Women and young mothers benefit
The programme has placed a strong emphasis on inclusion and expanding opportunities for young women.
Of the 240 participants, 152 are young women and 88 are young men. In Songea, the VETA training also specifically welcomed single young mothers, providing them with opportunities to acquire practical skills that can support income generation and employment.
Among the participants is Dayana Petro from Lindi Region, who trained in CCTV, camera installation and maintenance under the electrical installation programme.
Despite entering a field traditionally dominated by men, Petro said the training had increased her confidence and given her the skills needed to consider starting her own business and building a more secure future.
Her experience reflects the programme’s wider effort to encourage young women to enter technical fields and participate more fully in Tanzania’s growing economy.
Linking skills development with peace
Dumisha Amani II is built around the idea that economic opportunity and peacebuilding can reinforce each other.
Beyond technical training, participants learned about conflict prevention, tolerance, social cohesion and community engagement. The programme seeks to give young people both the skills to earn an income and the knowledge to contribute to peaceful communities.
VETA Senior Curriculum Development Officer Alphoncina Mshana said providing young people with practical skills and income-generating opportunities can help them become productive contributors to society and strengthen social stability.
UNDP Project Manager Lin Chen said the initiative gives young people two complementary tools: practical vocational skills and peacebuilding knowledge.
Participants also received training connected to Tanzania’s emerging blue economy, including activities such as seaweed-based organic fertiliser production.
Partnerships expanding opportunities
The programme brings together Tanzanian institutions, UNDP, Chinese partners and civil society organisations to expand opportunities for young people.
China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Ltd has previously trained 435 young people, provided scholarships to 64 beneficiaries, facilitated industrial training opportunities for 102 trainees and supported the capacity development of 27 instructors in specialised technical fields.
The company is now supporting training for an additional 180 young people in Tanzania’s southern regions.
The Mtwara Regional Commissioner, Donald Msengi, urged graduates to move beyond acquiring certificates by turning their new skills into products, services and businesses. He also called on the private sector and financial institutions to provide young entrepreneurs with access to capital, equipment and markets.
Building a future through skills
As graduates enter the workforce, the programme aims to ensure that vocational training translates into sustainable livelihoods and community development.
The initiative also supports Tanzania’s broader development ambitions by preparing young people to contribute to economic transformation while strengthening social cohesion.
For the participants, the programme represents more than technical training. It provides practical skills, entrepreneurship knowledge and opportunities to participate in the economic and social development of their communities.
UNDP said investing in young people through initiatives such as Dumisha Amani II can contribute to stronger communities, more resilient livelihoods and a more peaceful future for Tanzania.
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