USAID Uzbekistan Youth Employment Skills — FY24 Quarterly Performance Report, October 2023 – December 2023

The activity aims to improve the employability of young people in Uzbekistan by enhancing their skills and knowledge in areas such as entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. The initiative is funded by USAID with a total budget of $10 million. The activity focuses on three main objectives: (1) improving the employability of young people, (2) enhancing the quality of vocational education and training, and (3) promoting entrepreneurship and innovation among young people. To achieve these objectives, the activity implements a range of interventions, including training programs for teachers and trainers, vocational education and training programs, and entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives. The activity targets young people aged 15-29 in Uzbekistan, with a focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The initiative also engages with the private sector to provide work-based learning opportunities and promote entrepreneurship and innovation among young people. The activity is implemented by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, in partnership with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and other local stakeholders. The activity is monitored and evaluated through a range of indicators, including the number of young people trained, the number of vocational education and training programs implemented, and the number of entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives supported. In the first quarter of FY24, the activity made significant progress in achieving its objectives. The activity trained over 1,000 teachers and trainers in vocational education and training, and implemented vocational education and training programs in 10 schools. The activity also supported the establishment of 20 entrepreneurship and innovation clubs in schools, and provided training and mentorship to over 500 young people. The activity also engaged with the private sector to provide work-based learning opportunities and promote entrepreneurship and innovation among young people. The activity partnered with 10 private sector companies to provide work-based learning opportunities to young people, and supported the establishment of 5 innovation hubs in schools. The activity's progress is monitored and evaluated through a range of indicators, including the number of young people trained, the number of vocational education and training programs implemented, and the number of entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives supported. The activity's performance indicators are tracked through a range of tools, including the Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (PIRS) and the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) approach. The activity's financial summary for the first quarter of FY24 shows that the activity spent $1.5 million on training programs, $500,000 on vocational education and training programs, and $200,000 on entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives. The activity also received $500,000 in contributions from the private sector. Overall, the Youth Employment Skills Activity in Uzbekistan has made significant progress in achieving its objectives in the first quarter of FY24. The activity has trained over 1,000 teachers and trainers, implemented vocational education and training programs in 10 schools, and supported the establishment of 20 entrepreneurship and innovation clubs in schools. The activity has also engaged with the private sector to provide work-based learning opportunities and promote entrepreneurship and innovation among young people.