LocationsUNDP-supported Project Helps Palestinian Youth and Marginalized Groups Find Success in Gaza Sewing Industry
January 12, 2023
Ms Yvonne Helle, UNDP's Special Representative and Mr Fouad Oudah, Head of Palestinian Federation for Garment and Textile During the closing Ceremony
Gaza, 11 January 2023 – The "Enhancing Employment in the Sewing Industrial Sector" project, funded by the United Nations Development Programme/Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP) in collaboration with the Palestinian Federation of Garment, and Textile Industries (PFGT), has had a positive impact on the lives of Palestinian youth and marginalized groups, including women in Gaza.
Launched as an integrated on-the-job training initiative, the project provided 50 trainees with 300 hours of tailored training, including 150 hours of technical training at IRADA Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres at the Gaza Islamic University and 150 hours of on-the-job training at nine sewing establishments. Led by highly-qualified female trainers and based on the Complex Task Approach (CTA) curriculum, this training equipped the trainees with the skills and knowledge they needed to succeed in the sewing profession.
In his speech, Dr. Fouad Odeh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Federation of the Garment and Textile Industries, stated that the garment and textile sector is one of the most promising industrial sectors in the Gaza Strip, employing more than 8,000 workers today and expected to require 14,000 workers in 2028. "The project of enhancing employment in the sewing sector is considered a unique project because practical training in the sewing factories was included, facilitating the trainees' integration into the market," he added.
As a result of this project, the nine participating sewing factories will hire over 30 qualified trainees, and the PFGT will connect the remaining beneficiaries with other sewing factories. In addition, the project has had a lasting effect on the Gazan sewing industry by fostering competitiveness and attracting a new workforce to this promising sector.
"We are thrilled to see the positive impact that this project has had on the lives of Palestinian youth and marginalized groups," said the Special Representative of the Administrator for UNDP/PAPP, Ms. Yvonne Helle. "It is through initiatives like these that we can work towards a brighter, more prosperous future for all," she added.
