Economic Opportunities

76th International Seminar in Ghana During the first four weeks of August 2023, 23 young people aged 18 to 30 gathered in Accra, Ghana to take part in one of WUSC’s flagship events: the International Seminar.  This is a unique and transformative opportunity that WUSC provides to young people every year, with the aim of…

Although we are now seeing many Canadians eager to engage in international volunteer opportunities once again, we have heard from our IGNI+E partners that bringing together volunteers who can represent both national and international perspectives not only helped sustain momentum, but—as was the case at ACADES—also strengthened their results. So we undertook a study with our partners to learn more about their experiences during this unanticipated adaptation of our volunteer mobilization approach. Here are five key findings.

Receiving a work permit or business license creates positive impacts in the lives of refugees and for their communities. In practice, access to work permits and business licences is complicated by several barriers. A new report, led by the University of Oxford’s Refugee-Led Research Hub and supported by Mastercard Foundation and WUSC, explores the gaps that exist between policy and practice of refugee access to Class M work permits and business licences in Kenya, and identifies what support is needed to improve access to sustainable livelihoods for urban and camp refugees

On June 13, 2023, WUSC collaborated with Expectation State with funding from Mastercard Foundation to organize a virtual event on economic opportunities for refugee and displaced youth. Close to 100 people from different parts of the world participated in the event who were members of civil society organizations, academia, and post-secondary institutions. The aim of…

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in the broader West Africa context Despite West Africa’s  reputation for stability and economic growth there are a number of significant economic and political crises unfolding in the region. Most recently, the Mali‒Niger‒Burkina Faso tri-border area (Central Sahel) has become one of the fastest growing displacement crises in the world.…

The barriers facing women’s full economic participation are many. In some countries, there are legal constraints to women’s rights to work, including a lack of protection from sexual harassment in the workplace. Women also bear a disproportionate responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work and are less likely to have access to education, technology, and…

Richard Ombina, WUSC Digital Hub and Scholarship Coordinator, is passionate about strengthening education and employment opportunities for young people living in crisis-affected situations. In Kakuma Refugee Camp, Richard works to support young women to earn a livelihood. Some of these individuals have been born within the camp, and others have been driven out of their…

Green, Resilient and Inclusive Development: Diverse Perspectives in Ghana Do you have a passion for sustainable development? Are you interested in green entrepreneurship? Are you a Canadian citizen or permanent resident between the ages of 18 and 30? If you are looking for an international opportunity to deepen your understanding of economic inclusion, the green…

Climate change and gender inequality are among the world’s most pressing and complex development challenges. While each is separately dangerous and consequential; together, they pose a significant threat to people all over the world. Women and girls in particular face higher risks and greater hardships from the impacts of climate change, which are compounded by…

In Canada, your gardens are dormant now, until another spring awakening. But here in Ghana we are planting all the time – and what we’re growing might surprise you! We are growing hope.  Because of support made possible by WUSC and our donors, women and youth in Ghana are learning the skills they need to…