Dubai Cares, in partnership with the British Asian Trust, supported the launch of India’s first Development Impact Bond for skilling and job placement, the Skill Impact Bond (SIB). This innovative funding mechanism was designed to equip Indian youth with in-demand skills and ensure meaningful employment opportunities, with a strong emphasis on empowering women.

The Skill Impact Bond brought together a unique coalition of partners, including governments, global donors such as Dubai Cares, and private sector actors. United by a shared goal, the partnership aimed to equip 50,000 youth over four years, prioritizing young women and ensuring their inclusion in the workforce.

The program supported training providers to deliver skills aligned with market demand. Outcomes were rigorously measured against three key indicators: completion of training, successful job placement, and retention in employment for at least three months. Only when these outcomes were achieved did funders, including Dubai Cares, repay the investors, making the model both smart and results-driven.

The Skill Impact Bond had already enrolled 35,000 youth, 74% of whom were women, across 18 Indian states and 14 high-demand sectors, including automotive, food processing, healthcare, electronics, retail, logistics, telecom, tourism, and hospitality. The initiative stood as a compelling example of how innovative financing and cross-sector collaboration can create sustainable impact in youth employment.