SEED Program Reaches Over 27,700 Youth, Transitioning 19,800+ into Work, and Disbursing Over 181 Million Birr in Access to Finance in the Sidama Region over the Last Three Years

The Sustainable Employment through Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED) Program has delivered integrated socio-economic interventions across the Sidama Region over the last three years, equipping 27,729+ young people with market-driven entrepreneurship and technical skills, transitioning 19,845+ youth into dignified and fulfilling self- and wage-employment, and facilitating over 181 Million ETB in access to finance disbursed to 736 enterprises. Additionally, the initiative supported 4,852+ micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with continuous mentorship and market linkages, and channeled 13.5 Million ETB directly to Technical and Vocational Training (TVT) institutions and early-stage startups through machinery, tools, raw materials, and grants.

These achievements and strategic execution directives for the upcoming project year were evaluated during the SEED Program Three-Year Performance Evaluation Workshop held on August 14, 2026, in Hawassa. The event brought together key regional stakeholders, including regional, zonal, and city administration officials, TVT deans and institution directors, financial institution representatives such as the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Youth Advisory Groups, media members, and program participants.

Addressing participants during the event, Hageretsiyon Abebe, Head of the Sidama Region Bureau of Labor and Skills, noted that grounding employment interventions in skill development and mindset transformation through the SEED Program has driven significant progress in the region. She highlighted that previous job creation attempts often struggled due to a lack of skill-first approaches, whereas the current strategy enables youth to establish profitable ventures that generate additional jobs for others.

Emphasizing the value of multi-stakeholder partnerships, Kefyalew Kebede, Deputy Head and Job Creation Sector Lead of the Sidama Region Bureau of Labor and Skills, stated that job creation cannot be left to a single institution. He explained that integrating partner resources under the SEED Program fills critical skill gaps prior to market entry, while pairing training with workspace, access to finance, market linkages, and advisory support ensures enterprise sustainability.

Highlighting regional coordination, Getenet Samuel, EDI Regional Coordinator for Sidama, Central Ethiopia, South Ethiopia, and Southwest Ethiopia Peoples' Regions, stated our achievements in Sidama stem directly from seamless collaborative alignment across regional leadership, consortium members, TVTs, and financial partners.

During the workshop, interactive panel discussions were held with the SEED program-implementing TVT deans and program participants to share insights on overcoming operational challenges and optimizing access to finance and advisory services. Program participants also hosted a showcase displaying market-ready products and expanded services developed through SEED support. The event concluded with an official recognition ceremony, where the Sidama Region Bureau of Labor and Skills awarded certificates of appreciation to EDI and consortium members for their exemplary collaboration.

Implemented by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) as program lead in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and consortium members, comprising Ethiopian Aviation University (EAU), Hope Enterprises, American College of Technology (ACT), and eHealth IT Services PLC (Orbit Health & Orbit Innovation Hub) the SEED Program aims to create sustainable employment for 1 million youth nationwide over five years.

In close collaboration with the Sidama Region Bureau of Labor and Skills, the SEED Program continues to drive sustainable enterprise creation, youth employment, and regional economic growth for young people in the region.