Through the Youth Entrepreneurship and Employability Skills (YES) program, young visionaries like Benazir and Ayana are turning their dreams into reality, proving that hope truly changes lives. 

The YES program, a collaborative effort between USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation, is sowing seeds of opportunity across Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. Since 2021, YES has been cultivating essential 21st-century skills, from financial literacy to critical thinking, empowering youth to flourish in a dynamic economic landscape. 

Benazir’s Café: A Recipe for Community 

Meanwhile, in a small village in Tajikistan, the aroma of freshly baked bread and brewing coffee wafts from Benazir’s café. What was once a modest grocery store has transformed into the heart of the community. 

“Every day, I see the impact of this café,” Benazir says

The Ripple Effect of Hope 

The stories of Ayana and Benazir are just two threads in the fabric of change woven by the YES program. The numbers speak volumes: 

• 1,605 young lives touched across Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 
• 262 new businesses launched, each a testament to youth ingenuity 
• Over $500,000 invested in equipment and materials, seeding future growth 

But beyond these figures lies an immeasurable impact: a surge of hope sweeping through communities. Youth who once saw limited prospects now envision boundless possibilities.

A staggering 93% of participants in Kyrgyzstan reported increased confidence in their economic future.