UNICEF Ghana, in collaboration with its partners, has launched the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), an innovative platform designed to address youth unemployment and underdevelopment. YOMA serves as a digital marketplace offering young people opportunities to gain practical skills, engage in impactful tasks, and access tailored learning pathways both online and offline.
Speaking at the launch in Accra, UNICEF Ghana’s Deputy Representative, Fiachra McAsey, highlighted the pressing challenges of youth unemployment, underemployment, and child labor, particularly in vulnerable communities. He emphasized YOMA’s role in equipping young Ghanaians with the skills needed to meet global and local market demands while fostering personal and community development.
Supported by the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa, the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs, and other partners, YOMA focuses on improving education and addressing child labor in cocoa-growing regions. Magdalena Wüst from the Swiss Embassy stressed that the platform empowers youth to overcome poverty and validates their skills for future employment or entrepreneurial ventures.
Currently active in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, YOMA offers Ghanaian youth access to digital learning resources and certifications, helping bridge the gap between education and employment opportunities.
