Nine nations, including Kenya, will gain from youth development initiatives.
Organizations from ChildFund International and LEAP Africa have teamed up to collaboratively design and deliver young leadership, education, employment, and entrepreneurship initiatives. Chege Ngugi, ChildFund’s regional director for Africa, said in a statement that empowering adolescents will enable them to realize their full potential.
According to Ngugi, 60% of people in sub-Saharan Africa are under the age of 30, making Africa the continent with the youngest population in the world. The expansion of the continent is greatly facilitated by the large number of young people, but only if they are fully empowered and given the chance to realize their full potential.
The two organizations will work together to mobilize resources for initiatives aimed towards the development of young people. They will also put into practice the annual week-long social impact campaign known as Youth Day of Service, which begins on August 12.
The goal of Youth Day of Service is to empower young people in Africa via their agency and creativity to contribute to sustainable development and the advancement of a culture of social cohesion and growth.
Uganda, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Zambia, and Mozambique are other nations to gain from the program.
The cooperation, according to acting executive director of LEAP Africa Kehinde Ayeni, “engages the hands and hearts” of people as well as public and commercial stakeholders in sustainable development. The collaboration combines ChildFund’s expertise in carrying out development projects with LEAP Africa’s cutting-edge youth programs.
The initiatives, which focus on adolescent and young people in underserved and marginalized communities across Africa, include education and skill-building initiatives. They want to make sure that young people have the freedom, power, connections, and opportunities they need to follow their dreams and improve their communities.