IECD

The “Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement" (IECD) has been promoting human and economic development in various countries through education, training, and improving access to youth employment and entrepreneurship since 1988. The IECD is active in sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.

In 2014, the Nexans Foundation and the IECD established a partnership that resulted in the annual training of approximately 1,360 young people in Morocco, Lebanon, and Ivory Coast in electrical engineering and electromechanics. Since 2017, 21 training centers have been supported, and approximately 110 trainers have been trained each year. The training has yielded positive results, with 78% of Grains of Hope graduates in Ivory Coast and 68% in Morocco finding employment or continuing their studies in 2022, one year after completing their training.

Furthermore, a special relationship has been established between the IECD and Nexans subsidiaries to support youth, electrification, and the environment. Solar photovoltaic energy training has been provided in Lebanon, while industrial maintenance apprenticeships have been provided in Ivory Coast. Equipment, such as cables, has also been donated to Lebanon, Morocco, and Ivory Coast. Finally, orientation and professional integration activities have been organized for young people in Morocco and Ivory Coast.

The main objective for the coming years is to enhance support for young people to facilitate their integration into the job market. To achieve this, several measures have been planned, including the implementation of an entrepreneurship awareness program and new post-training support measures. A standardized and improved human training pathway will also be deployed to strengthen the autonomy of young people, their ability to live in society, and to develop their projects. The partnership also intends to strengthen support for partners such as vocational training centers, NGOs, and companies by providing training for school principals, trainers, and internship supervisors.