Sudan Open Learning Initiative


Empowering Youth to Thrive in the Green Economy

 

Our Perspective of Open Learning

By “open learning,” we specifically refer to creating learning situations in which learners have the flexibility to choose from a variety of options in relation to time, place, instructional methods, modes of access, and other factors related to their learning needs. It should be understood from this perspective that such learning situations or processes shall be open and free to everyone, under any circumstances, at any place, and at any time.

Our Approach to Youth Empowerment

SOLI’s activities are guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the objective of helping Sudan strengthen its capabilities to achieve the 17 SDG targets by 2030. The country is expected to put more effort into youth employment to achieve a more inclusive economy and meet its SDG targets.


 


Our Approach to Youth Empowerment

The current environment of employment opportunities is not promising for Sudanese women and youth looking for economic engagement. As far as it has been possible to find out, youth in Sudan are increasingly turning away from agriculture, preferring to try their luck finding jobs in cities, even though agriculture has the greatest potential of all sectors to reduce poverty in Sudan. SoLi believes that innovative skills are needed as a new way of bringing youth back to agriculture.

The Imperative of Developing Digital Skills

The importance of youth being digitally connected and skilled is obvious. SOLI recognizes that digital skills are a key enabler for inclusion and the efficient use, adoption, and creation of digital technologies in today’s global digital economy. Such technologies can transform the nature of work across various sectors. Interestingly, innovative technologies are already beginning to disrupt several aspects of the informal economy, increasing access to existing and new markets, promoting financial inclusion, and accelerating cross-border trading. SoLi believes that young job seekers in Sudan (ideally 100%) should have foundational digital skills.


Our Targets

We propose an ambitious target of training at least ten thousand youth in digital skills by 2025, with 80 percent of them obtaining better jobs. For youth who are already in the workforce, innovative avenues will be needed. Given the ubiquity of mobile phones in Sudan, a mobile-friendly digital platform will offer an especially attractive option for training a critical mass of youth in digital skills and connecting them to appropriate job opportunities.



SOLI’s Digital Skills Training Framework

SoLi identified three levels of digital skills training to be rolled out at the commencement of its activities. These are basic, intermediate, and advanced skills that are applicable to a wide range of occupations. They cover the following competencies:



How Will We Do It?

SOLI intends to create skills training programs that are engaging and inclusive.  We will offer flexible programs to resonate with other demands on potential trainee’s time, gender, and disability challenges.