Training and work for a self-determined future

The Vontobel Foundation is providing support for the project “Strengthening Employability and Personal Capacities of Vulnerable Youth in Myanmar” being run by Geneva-based Association François-Xavier Bagnoud – FXB Switzerland, with the aim of promoting the long-term social and economic integration of marginalized young people in Myanmar. 

The Association François-Xavier Bagnoud – FXB Switzerland was founded in 1989 and has been active in Myanmar since 1993 as an international non-governmental organization (NGO). FXB supports vulnerable population groups through education, vocational training, and life-skills development. Women and young people are particularly affected by Myanmar’s political, economic, and social crisis; they face major obstacles in accessing education opportunities, employment, and a self-determined future. Vocational training thus plays a crucial role in providing them with decent prospects for the future, strengthening individual resilience, and contributing to the reconstruction of the country’s social and economic fabric. 

FXB aims to strengthen the employability and personal resilience of 200 vulnerable young people in Myanmar each year. To reach this goal, FXB provides free vocational training in textiles, woodworking, metalwork, and hospitality—supplemented by informal education, psychosocial support, and job-readiness coaching. Life-skills modules cover topics such as hygiene, labor law, health and prevention, gender equality, gender-based violence, women’s rights, awareness of human trafficking, environmental protection, and first aid. 

To encourage active and regular participation, FXB provides daily transportation and meals, as well as a financial allowance for families who experience a temporary loss of income because their children are attending training sessions. 

Training takes place at a center in Yangon as well as through mobile training units in more remote regions. Project graduates receive support as they transition into the workforce—either through job placement within FXB’s network of partner companies or through seed capital enabling them to start their own business. 

An external evaluation (2025) confirms the impact of the program: 82% of graduates found employment, and on average, their income tripled.

The Vontobel Foundation is providing support for the project “Strengthening Employability and Personal Capacities of Vulnerable Youth in Myanmar” from 2025 to 2027.