“The potential to connect young people with the right opportunities to build better lives while strengthening their communities is incredibly compelling.”
Partnering to Find Solutions to Africa’s Greatest Challenges
With an expanding population, greater access to education and strengthening economies across Africa, the program aims to contribute to ensuring sufficient employment opportunities are created and that young unemployed and underemployed Africans gain access to necessary skills and resources.
It is currently estimated that more than 10 million African youth are entering the workforce each year, yet less than half this number of employment opportunities are being created in the formal sector.
The program will be implemented through a strong network of new and existing partners from across humanitarian, business and mentorship organizations to achieve maximum impact. Launch partners include global humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, Microsoft, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator and the Nairobi-based small business growth and advisory platform Kuza Biashara.
The YES! program will focus on four strategic program pillars:
1) TRAIN will prepare youth for jobs and provide high impact market-driven skills;
2) LINK will connect youth to employment opportunities; and
3) THRIVE will focus on supporting youth to succeed in jobs and entrepreneurship and ENABLE will drive collaboration with governments, private sector and civil society to provide an enabling employment to facilitate access to jobs for youth.
Source: Coca-Cola Foundation