EU Pledges €4.7 million to Boost literacy and Economic Skills in Afghanistan
Tawazon – The European Union (EU) has announced a new partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), providing €4.7 million to support literacy and community-based skills training and literacy training in Afghanistan. The initiative aims to empower local communities economically and enhance livelihoods.
According to the EU, the program will provide essential community-based education and livelihood skills training to 7,500 youth and adults, including members of both returnee and host communities, across five Provinces of Afghanistan. Participants will learn foundational literacy and numeracy skills(equivalent to Grade 3) alongside practical livelihood skills tailored to local economic opportunities.
Veronika Boskovic Pohar, Chargé d’Affaires of the EU, said: “The EU has decided to allocate a new significant financial allocation to support communities with concrete tools that contribute to livelihoods and local economic empowerment. By investing in learning nd skills, we aim to help Afghan people and families building their wellbeing. We stand with people of Afghanistan”.
The EU Highlighted that the livelihood skills training will focus on locally relevant skills, such as tailoring, dairy production, poultry farming, and small-scale agriculture, which have shown continued importance in home-based income generation in targeted communities.
Patricia McPhillips, UNESCO Representative in Afghanistan, added: “Building on UNESCO’s long-standing work in literacy and vocational skills, this initiative provides communities with practical tools to meet daily challenges.We are pleased to join forces with the EU to expand access to education and skills that promote self-reliance and community resilience.”
Since 2023, UNESCO’s literacy and skills programs have reached over 56,000 learners, and this new EU supported initiative will further extend these opportunities to strengthen economic empowerment across Afghanistan.
