This Youth Month is not just about celebrating but is a manifesto for young people to START. You don’t have to go at it alone. Below is a list of youth initiatives and support organizations working to empower young entrepreneurs in all spheres.
1. Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator (Youth Job Seekers)
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator is an accelerator program that helps thousands of young South Africans acquire skills that enable them to get and keep a job. It’s a free opportunity for unemployed job seekers.
They also aid the SME sector by offering subsidized fees, post-placement support, and an HR Toolkit. They are currently working with Funzi during COVID-19, offering free and premium courses on their website where the youth can register and upskill themselves in areas such as Professionalism, Hygiene, and Community.
2. GirlCode (Female Coders)
GirlCode is a social enterprise that empowers young girls and women in the field of technology and coding. They run various initiatives, including GirlCoder, a program that focuses on teaching coding and robotic skills to primary and high school girls.
They also offer workshops and vacation work where they teach coding skills to unemployed women and university/college female students. GirlCode has an annual hackathon that aims to spotlight female tech talent who are currently studying an IT-related course.
“Become distinct and realize that post-COVID-19, the jobs economy will be replaced by the skills economy and you need to capacitate with a skill set that can be commercialized.” – Danie Jacobs, Founder and Executive Director of Young Entrepreneurs
3. Digify Africa (Digital Marketing Mavericks)
Digify Africa is a digital skills training initiative that aims to create meaningful opportunities for young disadvantaged individuals in South Africa and Africa as a whole.
In South Africa, they have partnered with Facebook to give young people the opportunity to partake in a ten-week digital skills boot camp called DigifyPro, where they prepare the youth for a career in digital marketing. They recently announced that DigifyPro is back and will be conducted online, so keep an eye on their social media pages if you are interested.
4. SAB Kickstart (Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative)
The Kickstart Boost program helps entrepreneurs aged between 18-35. They support businesses that have been operating for more than two years with a turnover of less than R5 million and are in need of coaching or loan funding to grow and become supply-chain-ready.
Kickstart Ignite assists youth entrepreneurs who have business ideas or prototypes prepared.
5. #Back2Kasi (Kasi Entrepreneurs)
#Back2Kasi is Emmanuel Bonoko’s brainchild. They bring together South African business heavyweights to inspire township youth. #Back2Kasi seminars are conducted in townships across the country, including Tembisa, Soweto, Alexandra, and Cosmo City, among others.
Bonoko started this initiative to empower as many young people as possible by exposing them to success stories and providing them with access to information and networks.
6. Red Bull Amaphiko (Social Changers)
Red Bull Amaphiko is a program for social entrepreneurs/innovators, which began in 2014. The program helps social entrepreneurs create sustainable change for their communities. Amaphiko is a Zulu word that means ‘wings,’ and the initiative has taken place globally, including countries across Europe, Africa, North and South America.
In South Africa, the program has taken place in Soweto, Pretoria, Cape Town, and Durban. Part of Red Bull Amaphiko is the Amaphiko Academy, which involves an 18-month program where participants are teamed up with a mentor.
Nhlanhla Ndlovu is a qualified bricklayer, and his business provides skills and opportunities for young people living in Soweto. Ndlovu’s project, Hustlenomics, works with shack dwellers to convert their homes into proper, safe structures. Ndlovu took part in Red Bull Amaphiko for his business Hustlenomics in 2017.
7. Blackboard Africa (Youth Social Activism Organisation)
Blackboard Africa is a youth organization working to foster conversations among South African youth while connecting them with other young people who face similar challenges.
Blackboard hosts events across the country, including their ‘Big Sister Little Sister X Big Brother Little Brother’ series and Blackboard Relay, both of which aim to provide a forum to pass on the ‘baton’ of knowledge between generations. They also run a youth-centered interactive book club.
8. eKasi Entrepreneurs (Kasi Hustlers)
This organization works as a catalyst for youth entrepreneurship in townships. The non-profit company develops township entrepreneurs through training and development, access to resources, information, finance and business tools, and other integrated programs.
9. She Leads Africa (Women Entrepreneurship Support)
She Leads Africa is a community of young African women working to empower other young women to achieve their professional dreams. They achieve this through engaging online content and events.
The SLA website offers resources and guides that help empower women and provide advice about entrepreneurship and careers.
10. Young Entrepreneurs Foundation (School-age Entrepreneurs)
Young Entrepreneurs is an organization that teaches children between the ages of 7-18 entrepreneurial, financial, employability, and workplace readiness skills. They also help them start and grow their own micro-enterprises in a fun and experiential way.
Their programs are designed to encourage entrepreneurial thinking and spark an entrepreneurial spirit, while inspiring young people to live their dreams.
11. Junior Achievement South Africa (JASA) (Moguls in the Making)
JASA is an organization that empowers youth through the provision of practical skills in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness. JASA offers programs to learners in primary schools, high schools, and out of school.
They serve in all nine provinces in South Africa and have been a part of JA Worldwide for 40 years. They are currently running a #KeepLearning initiative, where they also offer online learning programs.
12. Youth Economic Alliance (YEA) (Youth Mavericks)
YEA is an organization that aims to drive the development and advancement of youth entrepreneurship in South Africa. They do this through programs that aim to address youth unemployment and grant the youth opportunities to develop businesses.
YEA also provides access to resources and connections that help to empower young people to see their potential.
13. Future Females
(Women Entrepreneurship Support)
Future Females is a movement that aims to inspire female entrepreneurs. Future Females provides a platform where female entrepreneurs can connect, inspire, and collaborate with each other either digitally, physically, or emotionally while accessing resources that equip them with the necessary skills to succeed.
Future Females has a business school, where they provide knowledge to female tech entrepreneurs and equip them on how to transform their ideas into feasible and profitable businesses.
This article forms part of our Youth Month 2020 series, #WeMove, providing youth-focused tools and resources to help you start TODAY.
Also in the series:
– Business Funding Opportunities for Youth in South Africa
– The Best Time to Start a Business is Now – 10 PLUS Business Ideas for Youth
