Basic education and vocational training

SDC’s Skills Development Programme in Southern Africa

Swiss-South African Cooperation Initiative (SSACI)

The aim of the Swiss-South African Cooperation Initiative (SSACI) is to reduce poverty by providing young unemployed South Africans with the necessary skills to find work and earn a living, or to start their own businesses. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) established this public- private partnership with Swiss companies operating in South Africa. Since 2001, 80% of the beneficiaries have found work earning a regular income whilst more than 300 new businesses have been established. Fact sheet  (PDF, 1 Page, 39.9 kB, English)

Children in a classroom in Burkina Faso in 2011
Children in a classroom in Burkina Faso in 2011 ©SDC/Nicole Gantenbein

Education means independence, improving chances of finding paid employment and an escape route from poverty. The SDC champions the right to education of the poorest and most disadvantaged, opening the door to their economic, political and social empowerment.

The SDC's worldwide engagement