USAID and Cacttus Education got together recently to mark a milestone in their three-year partnership to increase youth employment in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.  At an event on June 22^nd in downtown Pristina, USAID Mission Director James Hope celebrated the delivery of $80,000 worth of USAID-funded equipment – computers, work stations, and projectors – that will help this program invest in Kosovo’s youth and its future.

The activity, kicked off in September 2017 and has three principal objectives: to increase employment and self-employment opportunities among youth in Kosovo in the ICT sector; to build high-demand skills and expertise among youth; and – through a partnership with the Innovation Centre Kosovo – to provide incubation support for teams of entrepreneurs who are establishing new start-up ventures, with the goal of creating at least 30 tech start-ups.  In addition, Cacttus will use its network to identify internships, job placements, and direct employment opportunities for participants.  This activity is one of several initiatives USAID/Kosovo has underway to create opportunities for young people in one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing sectors in Kosovo.