Youth of the Americas Partnership Presented in Lima

Lima, Peru was the site of the “Obra: Youth of the Americas Partnership”  launch and learning event that took place November 17 through 19.   The goals of Obra are to strengthen and expand multi-sector alliances in order to ensure youth at risk have improved access to education and work opportunities and the skills to lead a healthy lifestyle. Obra, an initiative for the Latin America and the Caribbean region, was launched in 2009 by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with Centro de Informacion y Education para la Prevencion del Abuso de Drogas (CEDRO) as the Secretariat for South America.

The three-day event engaged representatives from civil society organizations, the private sector, and government officials from across Latin America. They examined the many challenges facing the region´s youth and shared learned lessons while building alliances. 

High level guests attending the event included well-known economist Hernando de Soto, Pilar Nores – First Lady and President of the Instituto de Trabajo y Familia [Work and Family Institute], Programa Sembrando –  and Pablo de la Flor, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Antamina mining company.

The Obra Alliance for South America, headquartered in Peru, aims to increase the impact of successful education and employment projects for youth by replicating them, taking them to scale and using them to help shape public policy. Obra also emphasizes the need to share successful experiences, encourage synergies and networking, and place youth on the national agenda. 

Obra was established in response to President Obama´s call for renewed and strengthened partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean at the April 2009 Summit of the Americas. To date, sub-regional alliances have been established with headquarters in Jamaica, Guatemala and Peru, which serve as the seats for each partnership. The Obra Secretariat in South America is managed by CEDRO.  Current partners in Perú include: Alternativa, ASOEDH, CAPLAB, CEDRO, Empresarios por la Educación, Asociación Ferreyros, Enseña Perú, IPAE, Cámara Junior Internacional, Gobierno Coherente, Red Jesuita por la Infancia y Juventud, SASE y Tecsup, as well as the Fundación Restrepo Barco in Colombia. Also included in this partnership are representatives from the Ministerio de Educación (Oficina de Coordinación con la Sociedad Civil) and from the Secretaría Nacional de la Juventud).

For more information about USAID programs in Peru, click on http://www.usaid.gov/pe/