The Youth Actions for SDGs project aims to create an enabling environment for youth innovation and entrepreneurship development as well as youth voices and engagement.

Youth Action for SDGs

Knua Juventude Fila-Liman 

Project background

Timor-Leste, the second youngest country in the Asia-Pacific region and the 15th youngest in the world with 74 per cent of its population aged 35 and younger, is entering a demographic window of opportunities for economic and human development gain. However, the recent Timor-Leste National Human Development Report (NHDR) reveals that 80% of youth are not formally employed and 25% are not looking because they are discouraged by the difficulty of finding work. Private sector development and traditional employment alone is unlikely to supply the 15,000 new jobs needed every year. Thus, transforming youth from ‘job-seekers' to 'job-creators' is essential to accelerate the country’s non-oil economic development and the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

Project activities

Establish a one stop shop Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub with the following characteristics:

  • A sustained effort: As many initiatives are isolated, incubation and technical assistance will be an ongoing effort
  • Coordination: Rather than duplicate, UNDP convenes public and private sector together with development partners focusing on ongoing initiatives for the benefit of youth
  • Integration: KJFL focuses on providing support throughout the value chain for entrepreneurship: from ideas to financing, including legal and technical assistance
  • Knowledge Hub: Leveraging the UNDP Global Knowledge and Partnership network to benefit Timor-Leste. For example, working with Microsoft and the Asia School of Business-MIT
  • Innovation: Finding simple local and innovative solutions to address market needs and opportunities by using ICT. A jobs portal and other applications will be launched.

Establish partnerships with key public and private institutions as well as development partners to provide an integrated empowerment services to youth from business ideas development to start-ups as well as to build youth leadership and enhanced their engagement in development process.

Conduct regular training on two pillars: Youth Opportunities and Youth Voices mainly training, mentoring, incubation as well as technical and advisory support on topics related to innovation and entrepreneurship as well as research and leadership for development.

Establish an integrated online market place (e-market) to connect supply to demand of jobs, products and services mainly in the agriculture and tourism sector

Project results

A one stop shop Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub named Knua Juventude Fila-Liman was established and inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo, the Prime Minister of the VI Constitutional Government. The hub activities are based on 2 pillars: Youth Opportunities and Youth Voices. It takes ideas to business plan/proposals, connecting youth in an integrated manner to facilitate:

  • Entrepreneurship development:  UNDP and IADE (Government agency for enterprise development providing Incubation and technical assistance)
  • Vocational training & employment opportunities: Secretary of State for Youth and Labour (Government agency)
  • Business registration and legal advice: SERVE provides business registration support. 
  • Financing: BNCTL provides funding support through the Prime Minister entrepreneurship development loan guarantee scheme (developed by UNDP 2015-2016).
  • Internet access and video-conferencing: Telemor provides free internet access enabling youth to learn and research online.   

More than 20 activities benefitting around 1,500 people, out of which 19 youth are now entrepreneurs, 8 youth are now employed, and others have gained knowledge and skills related to innovation and business development.

The first ever integrated E-Market platform www.filaliman.tl connecting supply to demand of jobs as well as product and services has been established.