In rural areas of Burkina Faso, cycling is often the only means of transport. At the same time, there is a great need for income-generating opportunities for young people.

Velafrica, a Swiss-based non-profit social enterprise, has been promoting the bicycle sector in Sub-Saharan Africa for over 30 years. Its approach includes establishing access to bicycles through local distribution networks, as well as creating vocational education and training (VET) programs to support a sustainable maintenance ecosystem. In Burkina Faso, the first national bicycle mechanics course – based on the Swiss dual system – was developed with local stakeholders and approved by the Ministry of Education.

While informal workshops offer great potential for training apprentices, they also present unique challenges. In his FoBBIZ Talk, Michel Ducommun explores how vocational training in the informal sector can succeed, and which aspects of such training can be formalized.

Watch the video of the talk here:

Presentation slides: Presentation FoBBIZ Talk Velafrica

Vocational Training in Burkina Faso (Photo: Simon Opladen)