Initiated in February 2023, the initiative GREEN – Generating Renewed Hope for Moroccan Youth through Training and Job Placements in the Green Economy officially concluded this month. Led by EFE-Maroc, in partnership with EFE-Europe and AECID, this ambitious program aimed to enhance the professional inclusion of youth, particularly the most vulnerable, in the emerging sectors of the green economy.
With 2,100 young people trained, of which 50% are women, GREEN has significantly exceeded its initial target of 2,000 beneficiaries. By combining vocational training, entrepreneurial support, and the development of transversal skills (digital, linguistic, behavioral), the project provided concrete prospects for a youth seeking a future, through salaried employment or self-employment.
A national and multisectoral impact
Deployed in several regions of Morocco – from Tangier to Drâa-Tafilalet – GREEN relied on a diversified approach: free training, job fairs, online modules, personalized coaching, as well as mentoring and citizen actions. This integrated methodology not only facilitated the professional integration of 262 young people, but also enabled the creation of over 40 entrepreneurial projects, in fields as varied as renewable energy, recycling, and agri-food.
The initiative also trained trainers and strengthened the capacities of institutional and educational actors, thus ensuring the sustainability of the achievements well beyond the project’s implementation period.
A dynamic of social and environmental innovation
“GREEN has allowed us to create a strong and supportive ecosystem to guide young people towards future jobs in a transitioning economy,” emphasized Houda Barakate, General Director of EFE-Maroc. For her, the green economy already represents a source of employment, social impact, and innovation, requiring agility and adaptation.
This view is shared by Naiara Imedio de Larrinaga, Acting General Coordinator of AECID in Morocco: “This project shows that when we give young people the right tools, they turn challenges into opportunities, ideas into viable projects.”
Towards a replicable model
The GREEN project leaves behind a replicable model for promoting youth employment in green sectors, combining pedagogical innovation, targeted training, and support for entrepreneurship. It contributes to the emergence of a new generation of change-makers, capable of addressing climate and social challenges with local and concrete solutions.
With this closure, EFE-Maroc reaffirms its commitment to continue its actions for the economic inclusion of youth and the development of a skills ecosystem aligned with the ambitions of a sustainable, equitable, and resilient Morocco.