Hyacinthe NDOLENODJI (35): "With our sustainable business model, we also have long-term impact."
4.6 million entrants to the labour market by 2030. That is the forecast for Chad. These are staggering figures. According to Hyacinthe NDOLENODJI (35), CEO of social enterprise Job Booster Chad, these figures make it immediately clear why his company adds value. Together with his team, he is tackling youth unemployment in his country with an entrepreneurial approach.
For years, Hyacinthe worked as an independent architect. He therefore knows the business community in Chad from the inside. During this period, his passion for young people and the problems they experience in the labour market arose. "While working as an architect, I volunteered to provide career and business coaching to young people. As my passion for youth development grew, I decided to return to university in 2017 to pursue a master's degree in sustainable development."
Sustainable business model
Since January 2022, Hyacinthe has been director of the social enterprise Job Booster Chad. The social enterprise was founded through the Job Booster project in Chad set up by the Woord en Daad foundation in 2019. After studying a degree in sustainable development, Hyacinthe became involved in this project. From the beginning, the aim was to connect labour supply and demand in a sustainable way. And according to Hyacinthe, this can be done very well through a social enterprise. " With our sustainable business model, we can make a long-term impact. After all, we can continue to operate without significant external financial support because our clients pay for our services."
Entrepreneurial approach
"This job aligns with my passion: addressing development issues through business," continues Hyacinthe. His experience in business and his degree in sustainable development come together in his role as director of the social enterprise.
"With our entrepreneurial approach, we are able to have a long-term impact on the communities where we work. Young people contribute part or all of the services we provide. This promotes young people's sense of responsibility and increases their long-term job prospects. Our team has employment and entrepreneurship expertise and an extensive network of partners in the private, public and civil sectors. This expertise and networks help us to be effective."
Youth
Job Booster Chad specifically targets (disadvantaged) young people. They pay in full or in part for the company's services. Hyacinthe: "We offer all services a young entrepreneur needs to start and grow a business, such as training and coaching, market access and financing, and a decent and stimulating working environment. Very important to entrepreneurs is the financing mechanism we have through our banking partner Orabank Tchad. Access to finance is one of the key challenges for young entrepreneurs."
The company also provides support to young people in finding employment. Creating and maintaining a decent living is an important starting point. "We pay attention to good working conditions to ensure that the job contributes to a dignified life."
Network
A good network is crucial to operating successfully as a social enterprise, in Hyacinthe's firm opinion. "We know the context of Chad and the context of young people in particular. We are firmly rooted in society because we work closely with local youth organizations. Our network of partners helps us to be effective in our work. This enables us to be a sustainable partner for young people and organizations."
Serving and learning
He who has the youth has the future, it is often said. What Hyacinthe thinks of that? "I have a great passion for youth development and I like working in a youthful environment. It is an environment where there is a lot of creativity, innovation, energy and dynamism. I feel comfortable in such an environment because I not only serve the youth, but also learn from them."
