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Earning money as a woman in the security sector

Mbombe is now proud to be earning her own money.

Earning money as a woman in the security sector

My name is Mbombe and I’m 27 years old. Along with 100 other young people from Senegal, I completed a training course in spring 2022 to be a security guard. A new life started for me after that, because I’ve now found a job.
 

A long time spent searching for a job

I spent a long time job hunting after graduating in International Management in 2019. I couldn’t find a suitable position despite my good education. So I mostly stayed at home and did the housework. But I couldn’t survive on that. I wanted to earn my own money.

Training that was perfect for me

A friend of mine worked at the Senegalese National Agency for the Promotion of Youth Employment, ANPEJ. She informed me about special training opportunities for young people. I was referred to the Senegalese-German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration (CSAEM). An advisor there told me about the training course to be a security guard. CSAEM organises this training in cooperation with private companies. I was immediately excited about the idea. It still makes me happy that I took this opportunity. Because it meant I was finally able to realise my dream of having a permanent job.

Both theory and practice in one training course

The training included both theoretical lessons and practical exercises. I learned how to search people and vehicles to find dangerous objects, for example. I also learned the basics of self-defence. Because you never know what could happen at my workplace.

A nice result of the training course: Mbombe is given her employment contract.

I love my work

I’m proud to be working in a profession that mostly involves men. I find it very motivating to be a woman working in this job. And I really enjoy being a security guard, because I like working with people. At first, I was working at the entrance to a container port, where I had to search people and vehicles. I wouldn’t have got this job at a security company without the techniques I learned during the training course. I’ve now switched from the port to an airport, where I work for my company in the duty-free shop.

My income means that I can now also support my family.
 

As of: 08/2022

This text is written in simple language, which makes sure that it’s easy for everyone interested to understand.

Jobs through cooperation with the private sector

The professional integration of Mbombe is just one example of successful cooperation in Senegal:

  • CSAEM has until now been cooperating with 14 private companies. These companies are involved in different sectors: from trade, logistics and agriculture to security, maintenance and transport. The training courses enabled more than 100 permanent jobs to be created in 2021. And 154 young people were also trained in the first six months of 2022. Further cooperation arrangements are possible.
     
  • These training courses are supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The service is aimed at the local population, internally displaced persons and returnees from abroad.
     
  • The Senegalese employment agency for young people (Agence Nationale pour la Promotion de l’Emploi des Jeunes, ANPEJ) cooperates closely with CSAEM.
     
  • The Senegalese government launched an immediate aid programme for new jobs in 2021. This programme is called “Xëyu ndaw ñi” (in English: Employment for young people).
I’m proud to be working in a profession that mostly involves men.
Mbombe

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