At just 19, Ornella has already made a name for herself. As the founder and CEO of Code Empowerment Progress, an initiative helping young Rwandans build tech skills, she’s empowering future generations to thrive in a digital world. 

At 5:30 AM, Jackline, a Kenyan mother-of-two, is already up preparing for the long day ahead. She bathes her toddler and then heads to the market at 6:30 AM to buy fresh vegetables for her shop. 

“I love fashion and shoes. People always ask where I get my shoes, then they ask me to bring them the shoes the next day,” says Precious, 20, from southeastern Kenya. What began as an interest in fashion is growing into a thriving business.

Peer-to-peer mentorship bridges the gap between learning and practical application whether within the education system or through out-of-school youth bootcamps.

Tanzania is currently undertaking ambitious reforms to transform learning through competency-based education. The government recently signed a six-year memorandum of understanding establishing Educate! as technical advisers on the new secondary school subject of Business Studies, which is expected to be a core required subject for all three million youth in lower secondary.

Localization means adapting to suit local realities. Our bootcamps are uniquely tailored to address the differing challenges and opportunities present in each community. Educate! conducts thorough research to understand the diverse youth needs, obstacles and economic landscape of the area. This in-depth understanding allows us to more effectively meet the specific needs of youth.

This blog post features Educate!’s Managing Director, Uganda and Gender Specialist, Hawah Nabbuye, sharing her beliefs and experiences with gender equity and empowerment.

Empowering youth in Africa with skills for dignified livelihoods and employment doesn't just support them to improve their personal prospects – it can also trigger positive ripple effects throughout their communities. Prossy and Ivan from Uganda are among the many young people translating practical skills learned through Educate!’s livelihood bootcamp into impact.

Initially launched in Rwanda in 2016, Educate!’s approach to co-designing an employment-focused subject in secondary school is going national. Building on a strong policy foundation, our intensive two-year teacher training model is now reaching every secondary school across the country. In close partnership with the government, this approach will deliver education that builds practical skills, reflects the labor market and represents meaningful systems change.

Every year, 10-12 million young Africans enter the job market, but there are only 3 million formal jobs, resulting in 95% of youth working in the informal sector. As education systems in Africa grapple with preparing students for the realities of a labor market marked by unique challenges, innovative teaching methods have a critical part to play. Educate!'s Skills Lab pedagogy offers a scalable solution to empower youth.

Educate!’s core experience centers the critical soft skills we see as building blocks for long-term success. On top of that foundation, we layer the entrepreneurial skills youth in East Africa need to thrive in their largely informal local economies. Ugandan Educate! graduate, Ronnie, is leveraging this combination to drive the success of his small enterprise while also giving back to the community.

Through participation in the Educate! Experience, Peace was motivated to become a leader in her school and beyond - building confidence and becoming a fierce advocate for gender equity. We know that educated and empowered girls, like Peace, create more equitable societies. From shaping policies to providing learning materials that combat traditional gender norms, Educate! is committed to implementing a gender-transformative approach.

Kenyan single mother of three, Rose, is one of millions of young women in Africa in danger of being left behind because they don’t complete secondary education. Through Educate!, she is now thriving as the owner of a second-hand clothing stall. Rose was empowered through SkillUp, Educate!’s innovative, cost-effective bootcamp that combines skills training, practical experience, and individualized support over six weeks in Kenya.

From an early age, Nzabarinda thought of himself as an entrepreneur. Seeking to improve the living standards of those in his town and beyond, Nzabarinda first applied the skills he garnered through Educate! to manufacture a liquid soap made to repel mosquitoes.  Fast forward to today, Nzabarinda is pursuing a degree in business marketing while simultaneously running Tuuza Industries Ltd, a registered startup.

Elizabeth’s education in rural Uganda was cut short when the fees became too much for her family, and she was forced to drop out of secondary school. Now, the wife and mother of two is determined to achieve financial security for her growing family. By addressing a need in her community, where locals typically walk eight kilometers to the nearest store, she’s increased her income and built a strong support network driving her success.

In today’s ever-changing world, ensuring that women are not only included but at the forefront of design and technology is pertinent to growth and development. In addition to empowering the young women and girls that participate in our models, we also seek to empower the women driving them forward. We recently spoke to some of our leading female tech team members to learn more about their experiences and to better understand how Educate! is leveraging technology to impact youth.

Educate!’s vision of one day measurably impacting millions of youth across Africa begins internally. As an organization committed to developing people, we are continuously inspired by teammates who embody our “youth first” values and have dedicated their work to expanding opportunity for young people. One such individual is Beverly Nicole Adhiambo from Homa Bay, Kenya.

As a budding and ambitious entrepreneur, you can hear the energy in Sheila’s voice as she talks about her growing business, young family, and eagerness to support women in her community. But as she recounts her journey, Sheila’s tone changes. Her path to get to where she is today hasn’t been easy.

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has announced a $12 million investment towards Educate!’s Vision for 2025 – our bold $44 million plan to increase employment and economic opportunity for 400,000 new youth and expand Educate!’s annual impact by 400%.

In 2015, the United Nations set an ambitious new global goal, Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), to ensure relevant, inclusive, and quality education for all youth by 2030. But with just seven years left on the agenda, SDG 4 feels further from reach.