Vodafone Foundation and partners announce €2.4m digital boost for Ethiopian Youth Project

24 September 2024 - The Kefeta (USAID Integrated Youth Activity) project to empower young people in Ethiopia is receiving a €2.4 million (USD $2.7 million) digital boost as part of a new two-year Commitment to Action announced at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2024 Annual Meeting.

Vodafone Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Amref Health Africa and Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC (Safaricom Ethiopia) are partnering to digitise Kefeta, originally established in 2021 by USAID to advance economic, social, and civic opportunities for young Ethiopians aged 15-29.

The Commitment To Action is backed by funding from Vodafone Foundation (€1.6m) and USAID and Amref (equivalent to €760,000 in kind), supported with value-in-kind from Safaricom Ethiopia.

Joakim Reiter, Vodafone Chief External & Corporate Affairs Officer and Vodafone Foundation Trustee said: “Building on the strong progress made by USAID in creating youth empowering centres across Ethiopia, Vodafone Foundation and our partners are seeking to take Kefeta to the next level. We are bringing our know-how and experience in operating Instant Network Schools in Africa to Kefeta, boosting the opportunities for young Ethiopians to elevate their potential through digital learning, skills and entrepreneurship.”

USAID Mission Director, Scott Hocklander, stated: “By opening up the information superhighway to Kefeta’s youth, expanding digital and entrepreneurial skills, and broadening Kefeta’s reach and efficacy, this partnership will enable Ethiopia’s youth to compete on par with their global peers for greater access to a world of opportunities.”

Desta Lakew, Resources mobilization and Global Partnership Director at Amref Health Africa added: “Empowering Africa's youth through innovative partnerships isn’t just a duty — it's an investment in our shared future. As we engage the private sector like the Vodafone Foundation, we unlock the potential of young minds, cultivating a generation ready to lead change. Let's amplify our efforts together in Ethiopia and beyond, harnessing technology and collaboration to create sustainable pathways for youth development. The time to act is now — join us in transforming potential into progress.”

Wim Vanhelleputte, CEO of Safaricom Ethiopia said: “We are excited for the opportunity to partner for a such a transformative cause, Youth Development, by availing our Fast-Data Connectivity in the youth centres and incubation hubs building the next generation talent base to meet the demands of Digital Ethiopia.”

By creating digital hubs, incubation centres and improving access to online education, skills, and knowledge, the partners aim to significantly enhance youth empowerment and socio-economic development in Ethiopia. Key elements of the new programme include:

Vodafone Foundation will draw on its technical expertise and ten-year experience of running the Instant Network Schools programme in six African countries to support the technical implementation of the project.

Safaricom Ethiopia will provide in-country connectivity. Amref will use its in-depth knowledge of Ethiopian society and its network of youth-led organisations to lead the delivery and measure impact.

UNESCO's latest report estimates that worldwide, out-of-school children and educational gaps will cost $10 trillion annually by 2030, making education a strategic investment for individuals, economies, and society.

Ethiopia is Africa’s second most populated country with 126.5 million people, with around forty million young people aged 15-29. However, secondary (29%) and tertiary (13.3%) education completion rates are low, compared to 76% and 30% globally.

Ethiopian graduates often lack the skills to navigate the labour market, and a lack of jobs and livelihood opportunities means that 1 in 4 young people are unemployed.

Launching Kefeta – Integrated Youth Activity

To address these challenges, USAID Ethiopia established an Integrated Youth Activity (“Kefeta”, meaning “to elevate”) programme in August 2021. It committed $60 million over five years to the Kefeta program, implemented by Amref Health Africa and its consortium partners.

The Kefeta project envisions Ethiopian youths as game changers. It empowers them to advance their own economic, civic, and social development, making them resilient in the face of shocks, while actively promoting development within their communities and contributing to the country’s peace and prosperity.

Amref and its consortium partners have established more than 105 Kefeta service delivery outlets, including youth hubs, career development centres and youth friendly heath service corners across eighteen cities to impact over 2 million young people aged 15-29.

Kefeta offers a “one-stop-shop” for Ethiopian youth to access health and family planning services, capacity building and professional development training, links to employment and entrepreneurship, plus financial and mentoring support, and opportunities for civic engagement.

Digitalising Kefeta for Ethiopia’s future

Despite the progress made with Kefeta, many young Ethiopians still lack the digital, financial literacy or entrepreneurial skills to make them employable. Limited access to finance to create businesses also hinders youth employment.

And whilst micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are growing and privatised public enterprises are opening new possibilities for youth employment, the private sector cannot absorb the growing workforce. Nor can it empower young people to start their own businesses.

The project will benefit young people in six cities across Ethiopia (Mekele, Debre Berhan, Bahir Dar, Hawassa, Addis Ababa, Adama) by building their self-esteem, resilience and improving their financial and digital skills, whilst linking them with economic opportunities.

In the future, the partners will seek tech and IT companies with a commercial presence in Ethiopia to join the project, providing qualified youth with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Kefeta has already established a successful network of 48 corporate partners across various sectors, creating over 7,600 job opportunities and establish youth owned and managed SACCOs (Savings and Credit Co-operative Organisations) with 8,000 youth shareholders or members in 18 cities.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Vodafone Foundation

Vodafone Foundation (UK registered charity number 1193984) believes the power of connectivity can change lives and address some of the world’s most pressing problems. Founded in 1991 with a simple mission to invest in the communities in which Vodafone operates, today the charity connects people and ideas with technology and funding, to help those already doing good work to achieve results faster, more cost effectively and with a bigger social impact.

Through a strategy of Connecting for Good, Vodafone Group PLC’s philanthropic arm works in partnership with other charitable organisations and NGOs to create solutions that bring about long-term sustainable change and improve lives. For further information, please visit www.vodafonefoundation.org.

Vodafone Foundation Instant Network Schools

Vodafone Foundation Instant Network Schools (INS) started in 2013 as a joint programme between Vodafone Foundation and UNHCR. The vision is to ensure that all communities (host, IDP and refugee) can fully engage in the economic, social, and cultural world of today and tomorrow through increased access to relevant learning and livelihood opportunities.

The INS programme is based on a modular approach, allowing flexibility to adapt to the local context and needs while ensuring a holistic ecosystem to achieve impact.

There are 130 INS schools now in operation across six African countries (DR Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and South Sudan) reaching more than 327,000 students and 6,000 teachers.

For further information on Instant Network Schools, please visit: https://www.vodafone.com/vodafone-foundation/focus-areas/instant-network-schools.

U.S. Agency For International Development (USAID)

On behalf of the American people, the U.S. Agency for International Development promotes and demonstrates democratic values abroad, and advances a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. In support of America's foreign policy, USAID leads the U.S. Government's international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises and progress beyond assistance. Learn more at www.usaid.gov

Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC

Safaricom Ethiopia is a purpose-led technology and communications company committed to contributing to Ethiopia’s digital transformation and inclusion agenda. With a customer base of more than 5 million users, Safaricom Ethiopia is currently expanding its network to further areas in the country, engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Contract.

Amref Health Africa

Amref Health Africa is the largest African-based and led international health development organization serving over 30 million people annually across 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Strategically engaging with communities, governments, and local partners for the past 65 years, we work through our European and North American network of sister organizations on program implementation, advocacy, fundraising and partnership. Our subsidiaries include Amref Flying Doctors, Amref Enterprises Limited, and Amref International University. Our organization is driven by its vision to bring lasting health change in Africa and its mission to catalyse and drive community-led and people-centred health systems while addressing social determinants of health. Amref believes that the power to transform Africa’s health lies within its communities, and therefore strives to ensure that health systems are functioning at an optimal level and communities are empowered to hold these systems accountable for the delivery of high-quality and affordable health care.

Amref has been active in Ethiopia since the 1960s and became fully operational in 2002. We have been partnering with the Ethiopian government and local communities to co-create solutions and implement diverse health and development project portfolios in the country for over twenty years.

Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)

Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. Through CGI’s unique model, more than 10,000 organizations have launched more than 4,000 Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable projects and programs – that are making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in 180 countries.