Uganda
In 2019, the Foundation launched the Young Africa Works strategy in Uganda to enable 4.3 million young people between the ages of 18 and 35 (70 percent women, seven percent refugees, and three percent young people with disabilities) to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
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Goal
Over the next 10 years, Young Africa Works will enable 4.3 million young people in Uganda to access dignified work.
The Young Africa Works strategy is a holistic initiative co-created with the government, private sector, academic institutions, and young people. It builds on the momentum established by the government, and it will take solutions to scale. Our objective is to facilitate access to affordable financial services, quality education, relevant vocational training, and appropriate business development services, including reasonable technology.
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Context
In 2008, Uganda became the first African country where the Mastercard Foundation implemented programming. Over the years, the key area of focus has been in expanding access to finance, education, and skills training to smallholder farmers, teachers, out-of-school youth, and youth in agriculture across the country.
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Approach
By 2030, Young Africa Works will enable 4.3 million young people in Uganda to access dignified work. Our approach for implementing this strategy is led by the private sector and puts the private sector at the forefront of Uganda's growth and development. The approach is centred around three key strategic pillars:
1. Strengthening systems and institutions to enable inclusive, responsive, accessible, and affordable services and products.
2. Supporting disruptive interventions that address the root causes of young people’s barriers.
3. Leveraging an integrated portfolio of partners and emerging partnership practices to implement promising models at scale. -
Priority
Our focus is on areas that offer strong potential for creating work for young people, as well as emerging sectors that have the potential to generate significant impact owing to the number of young people engaged in such areas.
Agriculture
Skills training | Strengthening financial inclusion | Policy environmentEducation and Skilling
Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) | Construction and housing | SportsDigital Economy
Creative industry | Strengthening financial inclusion | Policy environment | Mindset transformation | Tourism and hospitality
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UgandaPrograms in Uganda
The Foundation’s Uganda office is located in Kampala and currently supports over 20 active partnerships in the country. Focus sectors for Young Africa Works in Uganda include agriculture, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and the digital economy.
Young Africa Works – Uganda: Partnerships, Progress, and Impact
The Mastercard Foundation’s Journey Toward Enabling Access to Dignified and Fulfilling Work for Young People in Uganda.
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with 78 percent of its people under the age of 30 (UBOS, 2021). It is also home to over 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers, most of whom are young people (UNHCR, 2024). For Uganda’s young people, access to education, skills, and economic opportunities is critical to securing dignified and fulfilling work.
Alongside our partners, the Mastercard Foundation is helping create opportunities for young people in high-potential sectors such as agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and the digital economy through our Young Africa Works strategy. The strategy aligns with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan, which prioritize youth participation in economic transformation through education, vocational training, and entrepreneurship.
Young Africa Works Uganda Digest
Issue 01 October 2024
The inaugural issue provides an overview of the Mastercard Foundation initiatives in Uganda, focusing on the transformative stories of the young people we serve. It also spotlights our Country Director, Adrian Bukenya, to showcase a deeper understanding of the impact of our work in Uganda.
Research from Uganda
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Young Africa Works – Uganda: Partnerships, Progress, and Impact
Education and Transitions Uganda -
Study on Africa as a Jurisdiction for Domiciliation of Investment Vehicles
Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Togo, Rwanda, Senegal, Morocco, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria -
An Empirical Review of Youth Employment Policies in Uganda
Uganda -
A Review of Youth Employment Policies and Their Impact in Uganda
Uganda
Latest from Uganda
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Mastercard Foundation President and CEO, Reeta Roy, Announces Decision to Transition from the Foundation
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New Study Reveals Domiciliation as Key to Mobilizing Capital Flows in Africa
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CRVPF, gnuGrid CRB and the Mastercard Foundation Extend Partnership to Expand Employment Opportunities for Young People in Uganda
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The AfCFTA, Mastercard Foundation and TradeMark Africa Collaborate on a Four-Year Fisheries Program to Empower Women and Youth in Africa
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Caribou Digital Launches New Book, The Platform Livelihoods Project: Research Exploring the Workplaces of the Digital Age in Africa & Indonesia
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World Data Lab and the Mastercard Foundation Announce Launch of the Africa Youth Employment Clock
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Social Venture Challenge: Helping Young People Bring Their Ideas to Life
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Liquid Gold: Tracy Ahumuza and the ATTA Breastmilk Community
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The Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity Launches Agribusiness Challenge Fund
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Light For the World and Mastercard Foundation Partner to Enable Youth Employment for Young Africans with Disabilities
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The Journey to Kyangwali
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Ritah Mbabazi: Empowering Communities Through Innovative Entrepreneurship
