DMI Mission

Unemployment

Finding decent work is one of the biggest struggles across our mission countries, especially for young people. In Tanzania, overall unemployment was 2.6% in 2024, but among youth it rises to 3.3%, showing that young people face fewer opportunities. In South Sudan, the challenge is far worse - overall unemployment is 12.5%, and nearly 1 in 5 young people are without work.

In the Central African Republic (CAR), reliable statistics are scarce, but trends are similar to those in Zambia, where unemployment reached 22% overall, with youth unemployment as high as 55%. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), most available jobs are in the informal sector, leaving many young people, especially those in settlements - stuck in unstable and unsafe work. Across Zambia and PNG, youth unemployment remains a pressing issue, trapping families in poverty and limiting future prospects.

Our Response

The Daughters of Mary Immaculate (DMI) is deeply committed to tackling unemployment by equipping vulnerable groups with skills that open pathways to dignified work. In Tanzania, since 2011, our programs have focused on human trafficking survivors and rural youth, providing them with training in beautician services, catering, computer literacy, and tailoring. In the Central African Republic (CAR), beginning in 2018, DMI has supported women and young girls to gain livelihoods through tailoring, beauty services, and bead-making.

In South Sudan, since 2014, the focus has been on war-affected youth, helping them rebuild their lives through hands-on training in driving, masonry, electrical wiring, plumbing, and farming. In Zambia, where DMI began in 2008, we have empowered marginalized youth through vocational courses in cosmetology, catering, computer skills, and tailoring. And in Papua New Guinea (PNG), since 2017, our mission has centred on young women, equipping them with practical skills in sewing, catering, and tie-dye to strengthen self-reliance in settlement communities.

Through these targeted programs, DMI not only reduces unemployment but also restores confidence, independence, and dignity, enabling young