Kyle C. Garrison

El Salvador confronts an ongoing challenge: a substantial number of young people searching for stable, decent employment while the labor market increasingly requires stronger technical and digital competencies. Rates of youth unemployment and underemployment surpass those of adults, and many young individuals fall into the NEET category (not in employment, education, or training). These patterns heighten social vulnerability, fuel irregular migration pressures, and widen the gap between employer demands and the skills available in the workforce.What is dual technical training and why it mattersDual technical training blends classroom lessons offered by a technical institution with practical, on-the-job experience within a…

A brief look at Benin: its farming practices, community livelihoods, and the growing strain on soilsBenin's economy and social structure remain deeply anchored in agriculture, a sector responsible for about one-quarter of the country's GDP and employing most of its rural residents, thereby playing a pivotal role in reducing poverty, strengthening food security, and generating export revenue. Main crops encompass cotton, which stands out as a leading cash crop, along with maize, cassava, yam, cashew, groundnuts, palm oil, millet, and sorghum. Agricultural output is largely driven by smallholder farmers, who generally manage plots of under two hectares.This agricultural landscape faces…

The 2013 Rana Plaza collapse, which claimed over 1,100 lives and left thousands more injured, marked a pivotal turning point for Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) industry. The tragedy laid bare deep-rooted safety lapses and set in motion a surge of corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions, broad multi-stakeholder accords, and development initiatives designed to strengthen factory safety and build more defined career pathways for employees. This article examines the central CSR efforts and programs, highlights tangible results in workplace safety and skills development, and distills key insights for maintaining long‑term progress.Major post‑Rana Plaza CSR mechanismsThe Accord on Fire and Building Safety…