Young Africa Works Strategy is a program being implemented by MasterCard Foundation across Sub- Saharan Africa to find a solution to youth unemployment and tackle the challenge of poverty across Africa.
The program was set up in 2018 by the MasterCard Foundation with a bold and ambitious goal of placing 30 million young people into dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
The program was fully launched and initiated in Uganda in a remarkable virtual ceremony on 24th July 2021 which brought different stakeholders together. It was presided over by the President of Uganda H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni together with the First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni, who doubles as the Minister of Education and Sports.
MasterCard is partnering with different institutions such as Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), National Social Security Fund ( NSSF), Equity Bank Uganda and other many partners to ensure that the project reaches as many people as possible.
Through Young Africa Works Strategy, youth across Uganda are going to access different opportunities which include financing for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Start up funds for promising business ideas and skilling young people to equip them with necessary employability skills and knowledge to start up and manage businesses in sectors of Agriculture, Innovation, Climate Change Mitigation, Health, Tourism and Hospitality , Technology and many other sectors.
“ I feel privileged to participate in a program which involves youth. Working with youth is working with God, ” remarked Dr. Elly Karuhanga the Chairman of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, during the launch of the Young Africa Works Strategy in Uganda.
The program also has special interests and interventions meant to benefit refugees and host communities in Uganda, People With Disabilities ( PWDs), Women entrepreneurs and majority of the rural population in Uganda. Women and refugees are being provided with financial access and training to scale up their productivity and that they have access to opportunities like all other members of the community.
The MasterCard Foundation is implementing Young Africa Works under different interventions which includes Access to Digital Economy (Digital Rails), Markets for Youths, Hi-Innovator Schemes implemented by NSSF, Youth, Young Women and Men, Refugees Enabled to Work through Access to Finance, Skilling for Entrepreneurship and Digital Employment in Mid- Western Uganda, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Recovery Fund and many other interventions targeting youth, young women and men, refugees and PWDs.
“ Uganda was the first country that the MasterCard Foundation began its work in 2008 shortly we were established. Over this decade we have witnessed one of the world’s fastest declining levels of poverty in this country,” remarked the with pleasure, the CEO and President of the MasterCard Foundation, Miss Reeta Roy during the program launch. She expressed her joy of the foundation’s role in ensuring that poverty level keeping falling in Uganda and her inspiration from the aspirations and creativity of young people in Uganda. She revealed that the Foundation set goal of placing 3 million young Ugandans into dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
During her speech at the launch of the program, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni described MasterCard Foundation as a faithful friend of Uganda while applauding the foundation for supporting 6000 students in Uganda to access quality secondary education.
President Museveni recommended MasterCard Foundation for their efforts towards youth empowerment and transformation in Africa over the last decade.
“I’m glad to note that your focus in the coming decade is on uplifting young people through expanding employment opportunities,” remarked President Museveni while delivering a closing speech at the launch. The president thanked MasterCard for coming in to provide an assisting hand in creating opportunities for the young people.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
