Young Africa Works 2025 Dialogue - Uganda
Kampala, Uganda. February 18 - 19, 2025
To celebrate 5 years of Young Africa Works in Uganda, the Mastercard Foundation hosted an event focused on addressing barriers to youth-led entrepreneurship and workforce development as pathways to dignified work. The event convened youth-led organizations, partners, program participants, private and public institutions, and more, to reaffirm the role of Uganda’s young people in shaping the country’s economic future.
In 2018, The Mastercard Foundation launched its Young Africa Works Strategy - an ambitious goal for the next decade: by 2030, our work will enable 30 million young people in Africa, especially young women, to secure work opportunities they see as dignified and fulfilling. Five years of delivering programs in Uganda, the Foundation has reached a pivotal moment in our learning journey, marked by a triangulation of evidence from baselines, research, program partnerships, and external data.
Barriers like outdated policies, inadequate infrastructure, and discrimination persist. In Uganda, our key areas of focus have been expanding access to finance, education, and skills training to smallholder farmers, teachers, out-of-school youth and youth in agriculture across the country.
Young people at the event spoke about Access to Finance, Productive Resources and Skilling and how and where young people can access these opportunities
Throughout the discussions, young people contributed ideas, shared solutions, and voiced their expectations for meaningful change. Their perspectives influenced key recommendations and reinforced the need for policies and programs that support youth-led entrepreneurship:
- Access to Finance: They emphasized the need for youth-friendly financial products, flexible lending models, and alternative financing mechanisms that cater to young entrepreneurs.
- Stronger Peer Networks: Young entrepreneurs called for platforms that enable peer learning, mentorship, and collaborative partnerships to strengthen business growth.
- Inclusion and Targeted Support: They advocated for deliberate efforts to ensure that women, refugees, and persons with disabilities have tailored access to financial services, training, and market opportunities.
- Policy Reform: They urged for a simplified and supportive regulatory environment that enables startups to thrive.
- Entrepreneurship in Education: They insisted that entrepreneurial skills must be part of every young person’s learning journey, ensuring they graduate with both knowledge and the ability to apply it in real-world business settings.
Their shared experiences made it clear that they are not waiting for change – they are creating it. Youth entrepreneurship is a catalyst for economic transformation, which must be nurtured, funded, and supported at all levels.
Impactful Voices of the Young Africa Works Dialogue Uganda Event
Immaculate Adongo, Founder of Fresh Picks Enterprise
Too many people think of entrepreneurship as a last resort instead of an opportunity. The biggest mistake we continue to make as a society is training young people for a world that no longer exists. We need to equip them with the skills to not just seek jobs but create them.
Adrian Bukenya, Country Director of Uganda Programs
Uganda’s greatest asset is its young people. When they thrive, the country thrives. The task before us is to ensure that every young Ugandan, whether in the city or the village, whether starting a business or entering the workforce, has the chance to contribute to and benefit from the country’s economic growth. This is not just a vision, it is a responsibility we all share.
Abbas Luyombo, Youth Justice Leader
Abbas is a 27-year-old Ugandan with visual impairment, is a self-driven lawyer and Young Justice Leader with a passion for climate justice, human rights, and gender equality.
Connie Mundenya, Equity Bank program participant
The CEO from Gudie Leisure Farm shared how she supports young entrepreneurs even after incubation. This was proved when the young exporter narrated how Gudie Leisure Farm helped her to rebuild the business months after the incubation. I think this is something good that other partners should adopt.
Shamirah Namutebi, 10x Program participant
While funding opportunities exist, like those highlighted by Equity Bank partner, the process of securing them can be challenging and even young people do not know about them. However, once an entrepreneur knows how to navigate initial hurdles, future access to funding becomes easier, enabling further business growth.
The Mastercard Foundation’s Journey Toward Enabling Access to Dignified and Fulfilling Work for Young People in Uganda
Young Africa Works – Uganda: Partnerships, Progress, and Impact
Over the past five years, Young Africa Works in Uganda has made significant progress, engaging over 3.8 million young people to acquire skills, and access finance to start or grow their enterprises. Of these, 1.3 million have successfully transitioned into work, secured employment, started businesses, or expanded their economic opportunities. These initiatives have prioritized inclusion by ensuring young women, refugees, and persons with disabilities actively participate in and benefit from the programs. They have empowered MSMEs, strengthened financial literacy, and improved access to affordable loans, contributing to economic resilience during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more
Key Stakeholders In Uganda Call For Greater Investment In Young Entrepreneurs
Key stakeholders gathered in Kampala at the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Dialogue on February 19, 2025, to discuss the challenges young entrepreneurs in Uganda face in starting and scaling new ventures. The event culminated in the release of recommendations for empowering the sector and a call to action for systemic reforms to unlock the full potential of youth entrepreneurship.
Read moreLearn more about our work in Uganda
In Uganda, our focus is on Agrifood, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, which supports young people in building sustainable livelihoods.
