Trace and the African Union Youth Division have announced a significant event celebrating their pioneering partnership aimed at empowering young Africans. This momentous event took place on Thursday, May 16th, 2024, at Vanguard Lounge, Pramukh Tower, 8th Floor, Westlands Rd, Nairobi.
The event marks the auspicious signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Trace and the African Union Youth Division. This collaboration stands as a beacon to amplify the voices of young African leaders and innovators, foster educational and capacity-building opportunities across the continent, and celebrate the diverse and dynamic culture of African youth.
A formal signing ceremony was held between representatives of Trace and the African Union, specifically from the Youth Division, symbolizing their shared commitment to this transformative partnership. The event featured illuminating presentations detailing the objectives and initiatives of this historic collaboration, shedding light on the profound impact it aims to achieve.
Trace and the African Union Youth Division invited all stakeholders, partners, and media to join in this celebration of youth empowerment and cultural vibrancy.
While addressing the press, MD Trace Eastern Africa Danny Mucira said: Trace has been in existence for over 20 years, entertaining and empowering young people and creating a platform that seeks to amplify the afro-urban culture across the world. We seek to continually provide platforms for young people to express their ideas, showcase their talents, and drive change in their communities.
Trace will leverage its media reach and educational platforms to create a movement that converges collaborators seeking to solve challenges for young people across the continent. This MOU marks the first step on the journey of a thousand miles.
Through this MOU, joint programs and initiatives will be designed to enhance the skills, knowledge, and capabilities of young Africans in areas that will spur growth and prosperity for Africa.
There will be continued emphasis on STEM education, entrepreneurship, and creative arts to prepare youth for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century and better prepare them for ultimate success on a global scale.
Women,Gender, and Youth Directorate, African Union Commission
Through our collaboration, we aim to pay homage to the rich and diverse cultures that make up the African continent, promoting African music, art, and cultural expressions on global platforms to foster pride and recognition.
The African Union’s support is invaluable in aligning our efforts with broader continental development goals. Together, we will create synergies that amplify the reach and effectiveness of our programs.
Our partnership is aligned with the AU’s Agenda 2063, particularly focusing on youth and women empowerment, and innovation. Our collaborative efforts will ensure our initiatives complement and enhance AU’s ongoing projects.
We encourage stakeholders, partners, and the broader community to join us in this mission, and we humbly call for active participation and support to ensure the success of our joint initiatives.
In her comment, Ms. Prudence Ngwenya, Director of Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate, African Union Commission, said: Achieving the ambitious goals of addressing youth development challenges in Africa requires shared value partnerships, and today is a testament to that as we sign an MOU with Trace, a leading entertainment media brand and platform with a large community of youth in Africa and beyond. The formalization of our partnership builds on an already successful partnership that we have had with Trace for the past few years. With the MOU in place, we now have a framework for collaboration towards the implementation of the WYFEI 2030 and the 1 Million Next Level Initiatives through which we can:
- Establish an agile ecosystem and embolden stakeholders to empower youth and women through skilling, mentorship, and work with AU Member States toward a conducive environment.
- Empower young innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa to develop the knowledge and skills required to start, grow, and run successful businesses. Together, we have identified initial areas of collaboration, which include but are not limited to implementing the WYFEI 2030 and 1 Million Next Level Initiatives through technical and financial support to the five pillars (4Es + H).
Launch of the TRACE Radio podcast series, which aims to empower African women and youth by highlighting emerging trends and issues, promoting awareness, and building solutions.
Providing technical support and establishing a partnership with the TRACE Foundation for Youth Success to launch and manage the AU Mentees Hub. We are excited for this partnership’s potential and its tremendous contribution to advancing youth development efforts on our continent.