Unemployment is a significant problem in many developing countries. Without steady work, individuals struggle to rise out of poverty, and the community as a whole also misses out. Many unemployed people could have done much good through their labour if they had been given the opportunity to contribute. Worse, without opportunities for proper employment, young people sometimes turn to crime and violence in order to provide for themselves. Thus, giving people opportunities to work is essential for the community’s well-being.

Education plays a vital role in equipping people for certain jobs, but many young people find that even if they are qualified, the jobs are just not there. This was the situation that Rwandan entrepreneur (企业家) Noel Nizeyimana faced. When he graduated from university with a degree in soil and environmental science, he sent out application after application but received no job offers, so he turned to creating his own business. With three of his colleagues, he founded Greencare Rwanda Ltd., a company that transforms waste into products that can be used for various purposes. For example, one of the company’s programs processes waste and turns it into organic fertilizer used by local farmers. The company has also expanded into plastic recycling and produces paving materials from sand and plastic. Thus, Greencare Rwanda is providing materials for other industries as well.

Greencare Rwanda Ltd. was able to get off the ground largely due to funds it received from the U.N. Youth Joint Programme. This program is an attempt to reach the U.N.’s sustainable development goal of “decent work and economic growth.” The assistance definitely helped Greencare, which now produces 400 tons of fertilizer and 2, 560 square meters of paving materials per year. It also employs 25 people, which shows that helping people start businesses provides work for more than just the person who receives the funds.

All this raises the question of what more can be done to empower young people to start their own businesses. Providing funds to cover the initial costs, as the U.N. Youth Joint Programme did for Nizeyimana, is certainly important as the starting costs for businesses can be extremely high. Governments are sometimes hesitant to provide funds to startups because success is not guaranteed. Starting a business is risky, and nobody wants to waste money, but experts warn that governments should not enforce too many requirements. Different regions will need different approaches, so trying to enforce a set of one size fits all requirements can run counter to the desire.

While there are other ways to address unemployment, encouraging young business owners is one of the most effective—especially when those businesses produce goods that genuinely help local communities.