By Bernadeth Lazaro
Mayor John Dalipe has expressed profound gratitude to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Opportunity 2.0 for being the “true beacon of hope for countless young individuals who are eager to explore their talents and carve out successful futures.”
The chief executive, through Assistant City Administrator Dolph Saavedra said this, as the Education Development Center (EDC) Org. and Zamboanga City Youth Development Alliance (ZCYDA) initiated the close-out and send-off ceremony for USAID Opportunity 2.0 Tuesday morning, October 29 at Garden Orchid Hotel in Gov. Camins.
“Your partnership is not just a contribution, but a true beacon of hope for countless young individuals who are eager to explore their talents and carve out successful futures. Thank you for believing in our youth and for walking alongside us in this crucial endeavor,” Dalipe said in his message, read by Saavedra.
USAID Opportunity 2.0 is set to conclude on February 23, 2025, five years since its implementation in collaboration with the city government and other stakeholders in 2020. The program pursued the shared goal of providing second-chance opportunities to marginalized Out-of-School Youth (OSY) in the city, providing them with more and better opportunities in education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
The close-out and send-off ceremony was marked by the symbolic turn-over of a standee and gavel by the USAID Opportunity 2.0 representatives to the city government and the Jovenez Alianza de Zamboanga (JADZ). Testimonials from program graduates, signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and ceremonial oath-taking reaffirming the city’s commitment to OSY development also highlighted the event.
The event concluded with a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to sustain and build on the work initiated by the USAID Opportunity 2.0 program, ensuring the youth of Zamboanga City continue to have access to valuable resources and opportunities.
Also present during the event were Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja, PESO Manager and Acting CHRM Officer Jerico Jan Bustamante, Deputy Chief of Party for Technical Programs Dr. Maria Theresa Mokamad, DTI Provincial Director Grace Aduca, President of Ferndale Colleges Zamboanga Peninsula and ADJ CO-chair Dr. Anicia Alvarez, and representatives from various government and private sector organizations.
Photo credits: Kathy Wee Sit
