Haiti Adolescent Girl Initiative (AGI): Project Report
Summary — This report summarizes the results of the Haiti Adolescent Girl Initiative (AGI) project, which aimed to improve the employability of vulnerable young women in the Port-au-Prince area. The project provided technical and soft-skills training to over 1,000 young women between 2012 and 2014, focusing on non-traditional trades and socio-emotional development.
Key Findings
- The AGI project improved the overall agency of beneficiaries, increasing their capacity to make choices and pursue desired actions.
- Beneficiaries showed higher socio-emotional assets compared to women who did not participate in the program.
- The project increased autonomy in decision making and personal mobility.
- Beneficiaries' aspirations about work and income grew more ambitious.
- The project led to increased non-acceptance of violent behavior from personal partners.
Full Description
The Haiti Adolescent Girl Initiative (AGI) was a pilot project funded by the World Bank and the Nike Foundation, designed to improve the employability of vulnerable young women aged 17-21 in the Port-au-Prince area. The project provided technical training in non-traditional trades such as electricity, mechanics, and telecommunications, alongside soft-skills training to boost self-confidence, autonomy, and empowerment. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations showed that the AGI improved the overall agency of beneficiaries, increasing their autonomy in decision-making and personal mobility, and fostering more positive mindsets. While short-term impacts on employment were limited, the project enhanced aspirations for further education and better jobs, laying the groundwork for improved long-term socio-economic outcomes.