Ethiopian Youth Entrepreneurs Association and Mastercard Foundation Partner to Pilot a Youth Entrepreneurship Capacity-Building Project

Samiya Abdulkadir, President of EYEA

November 2023 – The Mastercard Foundation and the Ethiopian Youth Entrepreneurs Association (EYEA) are pleased to announce a partnership to pilot the Enable Youth Entrepreneurs in Ethiopia (EYE) project.

The EYE project aims to provide customized entrepreneurship development training for 50 selected youth innovators from five university incubation centres:  Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Adama Science and Technology University, Dire Dawa University, Hawassa University, and Jimma University.

Participating young people will be equipped with the right skills in entrepreneurship to develop competitive businesses where, if selected, entrepreneurs will pitch their business ideas to angel investors and financial service providers to secure funds or investments. Moreover, EYE will realize the EYEA’s ambition to develop a strategic plan, build institutional functions to implement the strategy, and support the continuation of ‘Zelela’, the policy dialogue platform the association hosts regularly.

Guided by its Young Africa Works strategy, the Mastercard Foundation aims to work with African organizations and African youth-led organizations. As a youth-led association, EYEA has extensive potential to reach and create a strong partnership with many local youth-led organizations and enterprises, as well as marginalized young people.

The EYE project will enhance the organizational capacity of this emerging association to become a leading youth-led institution that drives a mindset shift among young people, parents, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem to stimulate job creation and dignified lives for young Ethiopians.

Empowering and investing in the EYEA will also play a great role in encouraging the establishment and strengthening of many more youth-led organizations that support employment for young women and men in Ethiopia.

Learn more about our work in Ethiopia.