FIT! Senegal Initiative

More than 300,000 young Senegalese enter the labour market every year, in a context characterised by a very high rate of young women and men who are neither in employment, education or training (33.1% of NEETs among 15–34 year olds).

In 2026, the African continent will host the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) for the first time, with Dakar 2026 taking place in Senegal and offering real opportunities for economic integration for young people before, during and after the event.

To contribute to the legacy of the Dakar 2026 YOG, under the impetus of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee and the Senegalese Ministry of Vocational Training, Apprenticeship and Integration, the FIT! Senegal Initiative aims to improve decent employment for young people in Senegal in all their diversity.

The FIT! Senegal Initiative is involved in the various stages of young people's integration: guidance, training, integration, employment and self-employment.

LuxDev is coordinating this joint initiative of Team Europe and, together with its operational partners, is implementing measures to:

• create new professional opportunities for young people, particularly for YOG volunteers;
• create and strengthen training pathways in YOG-related professions;
• strengthen dual training;
• contribute to promoting the image of vocational and technical training through the organisation of Olympiads for professions, sport and culture;
• build sports facilities in training establishments in the form of training workshops;
• integrate a ‘Sport for Development’ approach and rolling out an Olympic, civic and sports certificate in schools.

In order to enable people from all regions of Senegal to benefit from the professional integration opportunities offered by the Dakar 2026 YOG, the initiative covers the entire country.

The initiative addresses gender issues, the inclusion of people with disabilities and sustainable development by focusing on ‘green jobs’ and opportunities in the digital sector. Young people are involved in the initiative, not only as direct beneficiaries of the activities, but also as stakeholders in the planning and implementation. This commitment by the initiative's partners is reflected in the experimental application of the Youth Friendly Standards.

Investing in young people and contributing to job creation are the main objectives of the FIT! Senegal Initiative.

The FIT! Senegal Initiative is driven by the Senegalese Ministry of Vocational Training, Apprenticeship and Integration, the Dakar 2026 YOG Organising Committee and the European Union. The Initiative is co-financed by the European Union, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland as part of a Team Europe approach. The Agence française de développement (AFD), AICS, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, GIZ, the German Agency for International Cooperation, and LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, are working together to promote youth employability.