The Dominican Republic has one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, yet its employers are struggling to find qualified applicants for jobs such as software development and nursing. FHI 360’s Advance LAC Regional Workforce Development Program (known locally as “Avanza,” meaning “get going” in Spanish) aims to help marginalized young people in the Dominican Republic gain employment in growing sectors of the economy. Learn more.

The fishing industry in Southeast Asia is an important sector in local and national economies, and as a source of employment for workers, particularly those with low levels of formal education. Nowhere is this more the case than in the archipelago nations of Indonesia and the Philippines. While not limited to these two countries, this diversity allows for labor abuses to often go undetected, includes forced labor and trafficking in persons. Learn more.

As the ongoing crisis in Haiti continues to escalate, Fonkoze’s team on the ground has remained steadfast. The past few months have seen fuel shortages, gang violence, and socio-political unrest. The lack of fuel has meant that some of Fonkoze's branches are down to their reserves, and reaching rural clients has become increasingly complex and dangerous. Despite the challenges, Fonkoze's teams are finding ways to serve families. For example, Chemin Lavi Miyo (CLM), Fonkoze’s empowering program for ultra-poor households, continues to provide intensive support and guidance to ultra-poor families, with 94% of CLM members graduating from the program in 2021. Learn more

Urmila’s journey toward a career wasn’t as straightforward as she hoped. She moved to a city seeking more job opportunities, but since she didn’t have much professional experience, she was often turned away. But Urmila didn’t give up. She kept looking for safe and reliable work, and eventually heard about an initiative that helps young women become teachers — a program run in collaboration with Plan International. More information

Being a girl in a lower-income country like Guinea can mean a lesser chance of completing your education, and a higher chance of becoming a child bride. For girls who are able to finish school, the opportunities in the job market are slim. And for those young women who do land a job, they end up getting paid less than their male counterparts. None of that has stopped Teninké and N’Mahawa in pursuing their career goals. More information.