STATE OF THE FIELD IN YOUTH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Annexes
2012 State of the Field in Youth Economic Opportunities
Fundación E, a Mexico-based international NGO that supports the development of sustainable entrepreneurship
and employment opportunities, also found that the Mexican government needed assistance to transparently and
effectively support enterprise development throughout the country. Box 2.5.3 describes how they were able to
complement and fit within a pre-existing enterprise development structure within the Mexican government.
2.5.3 Bright Ideas: Fundación E Works with the Mexican Government to
Incubate Small Businesses
Fundación E partners with the Mexican Government
to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses
in Mexico. For example, Fundación E partners with
the Mexican Ministry of Economy to coordinate the
National Business Incubation System and ensure that
federal funds are transparently delivered to micro,
small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. There are
currently 500 incubator centers. Once the incubator
system was operational, Fundación E began managing
the government grants that financially support these
business development centers. Since an NGO is
leading this process rather than the government, there
is significant transparency and the general public is
more assured about the use of funds.
Fundación E subsequently created an entrepreneurial
education franchise, which links to the business
incubator model. Fundación E decided to take a
franchise approach so each business incubator would
operate sustainably.
Most recently, the Foundation started working with
Mexican immigrants living in the United States to
provide them with entrepreneurship capacity building
and information on how they can utilize remittances to
invest in business ideas they can implement in Mexico.
Fundación E has therefore worked with the
Government of Mexico on both the policy and
programmatic fronts in support of enterprise,
employment and livelihoods development.
For more information, see www.fundacione.org/portal.
Chapter 2: Role of Government and Policy
2.6 Governments’ Investment in Economic Opportunities for Rural Youth Could Stem
Urban Migration
Throughout the world, young people leave their home communities in rural areas seeking education and
employment opportunities in cities. Migration can take steps to provide more economic opportunities for
youth and may expose youth to additional risks; they may or may not find additional opportunities in cities.
High rates of urban migration tax a city’s support networks and educational institutions, meaning that many
young people find overcrowded or unprepared educational infrastructures in the city. Chilangwa noted that
planning in Zambia is centralized in cities, leaving rural areas without electricity, roads, and other infrastructure
needed to bring products to market. Arkless again cited China’s rural policy as an interesting example. China
has aggressively pursued foreign investment in rural China in order to slow explosive population growth in its
coastal cities. They offer tax breaks to companies and built roads and airports in order to attract businesses and
jobs to rural areas. Government investment in rural communities, or incentives to the private sector, could
create the economic opportunities youth need to remain in their home communities.
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