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Kenya

Young Africa Works in Kenya

Young Africa Works in Kenya will help micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) grow, unlock the potential of the agricultural sector, and use a skilled workforce that is ready to take advantage of new possibilities. These will be supported by a digital transformation plan that will create business models that are disruptive and can grow quickly.

The Goal:

Build the capabilities and resilience of young people and institutions across Kenya to enable seven million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. Of these, 70 percent (approximately five million) will be young women.

Overview:

Over 800,000 young people join the workforce every year. However, a mix of large and small factors has made it harder for formal jobs to be created. Young people from low-income areas, especially young women, have to deal with the worst of these problems and are often pushed to take low-productivity jobs in vulnerable conditions.

To realize an ambitious agenda anchored within a singular focus on young people, Young Africa Works in Kenya will foster and deepen partnerships with and between the business sector, civil society, academia, and government, among others, to improve job creation outcomes.

Our Approach:

Young Africa Works in Kenya is built on a thorough root-cause analysis of the systemic barriers that keep young women and men from getting the chances they deserve. Taking into account the government of Kenya’s goals and plans, such as Vision 2030, it outlines a comprehensive set of investments that aim to change national systems (such as social, economic, and technological systems), mindsets, institutions, and policies in order to create dignified and fulfilling jobs for young women and men and help their families and communities as a result.

Focus Areas:

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Agriculture, Workforce Development (Education and Skills), and the Digital Economy.

 

 

Connecting Young Kenyans to Dignified Work

Young Change-Makers in Kenya

Influencer Marketing Turned COVID-19 Public Education Platform

Originally launched as a way for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access influencer marketers, Esther Kimani and Peter Kironji’s Twiva platform responded to the pandemic by becoming a public health education platform. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars worked closely with health officials to identify COVID-19 hot spots, leveraged geo-targeting tools, and activated local micro-influencers through Twiva to educate residents on COVID-19 precautions and social distancing protocols.  

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2020 Social Venture Challenge Winners on Their Project: Kibera Caanan Library and Youth Empowerment Center

Grace Bako and Dorris Mwangi first saw a need for quality educational resources for children in Kibera, Kenya. Then they noticed the libraries were underresourced and lacking in quality books. Working further, they identified a need for mentorship programs in local high schools. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars’ dedicated work has culminated into a resource centre accessible to more than 600 children, where they can safely access books, mentorships, and skills-based training.

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Leveraging Social Enterprise to Inform Rural Communities About COVID-19

The Anzisha Program supports young entrepreneurs 15 to 22 years old, such as Ifrah Arab Mohamed, founder and CEO of SuperMom. Mohamed’s Kenyan-based social enterprise works with women in marginalized communities, helping them sell fast-moving consumer goods such as rice, flour, and sugar. Having earned the respect and trust of these communities, Mohamed was also able to leverage her SuperMom network to share reliable information about COVID-19 health and safety protocols.  

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