The Challenge
Sub-Saharan Africa is at a critical crossroads. Half of the population is under 25 years of age. Each year between 2015 and 2035, there will be half a million more 15-year-olds than the year before. Meanwhile, the population in the rest of the world is, or will soon be, aging. (World Bank, 2014)
According to UNFPA, countries with the greatest demographic advantages for development are those entering a period in which the working age population is rising, as the fertility rate declines. So, if countries in Sub-Saharan Africa make the right investments in the youth workforce, the combined economic benefit could be at least US $500 billion per year — equal to one third of the region’s current GDP — for up to 30 years (UNFPA, 2014). However, labor market prospects are bleak, and young Africans are three times as likely to be unemployed as African adults (World Bank, 2014). Fostering opportunities for this large and burgeoning youth population is therefore a major priority for almost every country in the region.
The Opportunity
There is growing acknowledgement among governments, international development organizations, and policymakers on the importance of leadership and entrepreneurship development in youth. Furthermore, more countries are focused on capitalizing on this building momentum with the aim of strengthening individual livelihoods and spurring overall economic growth.
But before governments and development organizations invest more in leadership and entrepreneurship development, they want to understand the landscape: What initiatives are already underway, who are the main actors and what are the trends?
Our Work
Results for Development undertook a two-part rapid ecosystem analysis to examine the trends and drivers around the growing focus on leadership and entrepreneurship development models for youth in Africa. The analysis took place in 2015, and was funded by the Skoll Foundation. Download the report here.
First, a landscape analysis was conducted to better understand what kinds of programs are operating in this space. Through in-depth desk research and drawing on existing resources such as the Center for Education Innovations and Ashoka Changemakers, key programs and actors that play a role at the secondary and tertiary education level in Africa were identified. In order to better structure the analysis of information, eight distinct categories were created to capture the various dimensions of leadership and entrepreneurship development.
Second, in collaboration with Skoll, a deeper analysis into four critical areas was conducted:
- Post-conflict and crisis programs,
- Gender-focused initiatives,
- Networking and collaborative learning programs, and
- Skills development programs.
Skill development programs encompassed 40% of the programs studied, followed by networking and collaborative learning programs.
The deep-dive analysis takes a close look at emerging trends in each of these four areas, and uses case studies to illustrate how programs are responding to related challenges.
