Bilaly Dicko
Ambassador-led Initiative
1:4
SROI
Youth unemployment is a staggering 24.4% in Mali, and is particularly high in areas of conflict (1). Bilaly is involved in various ways to support young people in the conflict zones. Bilaly has led two separate organisations.
The first is “Les Leaders de Demain”, a non-profit he founded in 2015. The programme it offers teaches fundamental leadership skills which are necessary for finding a job, but also believes in holistic, personal development, and has successfully helped to develop 200 young Malians. Of the participants, 50 have secured internships, 85 have got a secured job and 35 have created their own employment opportunity through entrepreneurialism.
Bilaly is also the Executive Director at Timbuktu Youth Empowerment Programme (TYEP). They run a 10-day training in Timbuktu for young Malians on the subject of disruptive innovation, followed up by a one-month long mentorship where they pair the participants with leaders in the private sector. There have been 25 people come through the programme, and continually receive support and advice from the team at TYEP. To date, 5 have started their own for-profit enterprises in the city since participating and 5 have been taken on for internships.
During the programme, the organisation uses local goods and service providers, contributing approximately $20,000 to the local economy over the 10 day period. The social impact grows day by day as indirect benefits exponentially increase. One of the enterprises born from TYE has already employed 500 local inhabitants.
Bilaly works on TYEP alongside fellow One Young World Ambassador El Hadj Djitteye. Since the Summit, Bilaly is looking to align their work closer with climate change and the 2030 agenda, as these are present and significant issues in the Sahel.
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