Madagascar: Project gives school dropouts income generating skills

According to UNICEF, chronic poverty is the main reason for an estimated 1 million children not attending school on the giant Indian Ocean Island, but efforts are now underway to equip the youth with income generating skills. Last week, 258 out-of-school youth "graduated" from the DESCOL initiative, a project operating in 17 districts in the central Antananarivo region. Each district identifies local entrepreneurs who transfer their skills, such as baking, motor mechanics or tailoring, to young apprentices.