EMPOWER Project Kicks Off in Cluj-Napoca: Strengthening Rural Youth Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa

The EMPOWER project has officially begun with a two-day Kick-off Meeting (KoM) held on 26–27 January 2026 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Hosted by the project coordinator GAL Napoca Porolissum, the meeting marked the formal start of this Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the field of Youth initiative, focused on empowering rural youth and reinforcing youth governance structures across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Partners from Greece, Italy, Botswana, Mauritius Island and Madagascar gathered in person, with additional online participation from the EACEA Project Officer and the external evaluator. The meeting created a shared operational framework, ensuring alignment on objectives, governance rules, financial procedures and quality assurance mechanisms.

The first day of the KoM was dedicated to presenting the overall project structure, consortium roles and management tools. Particular attention was given to compliance with Erasmus+ requirements and to the coordination of Work Package 3 activities, which focus on youth participation and youth worker exchanges. Early discussions helped define the implementation of the first mobility of young African participants in Romania, laying the groundwork for sustainable impact and follow-up actions.

On the second day, partners moved into detailed work planning. Key contributions included the presentation of the Youth Policy Framework (WP2), the development of digital tools and the online platform, and the Communication and Dissemination strategy led by A Rocca. Internal evaluation and impact assessment tools were also reviewed, including KPIs and reporting procedures.

The meeting concluded with a field visit and the definition of a clear roadmap for the first phase of implementation. The Kick-off Meeting also marked the start of the project’s audiovisual documentation, with interviews and recordings carried out to support future dissemination activities.

With a strong collaborative foundation in place, EMPOWER is ready to move forward in its mission to support rural youth participation and inclusive governance in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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