Youth unemployment is defined as a situation in which a young person, that is, someone between the ages of 15 and 24,who is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Africa has the youngest population in the world with a median age of 19.7 years and a population of 200 million that will at least double in the next thirty years. Only a third of this demography is employed, while another third are vulnerably employed
Youth unemployment has far-reaching consequences, hurting both the nation’s social and economic growth as well as the individual’s well-being by preventing them from accessing both vital and non-essential goods, services, and activities. This has a direct impact on their physical and emotional health. As a result, unemployment is a pressing, complex, and systemic issue, especially given the lack of a clear path from school through college to a first job. We believe that young people have untapped potential that is not being fully explored and utilized by the labor force and the current employment system in order to achieve social and economic development, innovation, and long-term social change.
MIF has created the Stawi Initiative to empower young people with market-relevant information and skills, allowing them to either enter the job market and be gainfully employed, or to start a business that would support them and empower their communities. The initiative works to:
Equip youth with market relevant skills through career/job readiness programs.
Deployment of these job readiness programs into the work force alongside our various partners.
Funding the youth to undertake tertiary education. We currently have a partnership with KIBCo that offers these courses.
Providing training on entrepreneurship.
Providing seed funding to facilitate the youth to start their own businesses or grow their existing ones.
Financial literacy that is aimed at ensuring financial inclusion of youth.
Providing mentorship for vulnerable youth and children.
Working together, we have impacted the lives of more than 200 children for the better. Be part of the solution by supporting MIF transform the lives of more children!