How Young Africa Works Inspires iCode Abakwa
Making evidence available for decision making is a key ingredient to more effective interventions. I am excited to be part of a the Mastercard Foundation project with Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa. Synthesized data is useful for decision-making at policy, practice, household, and donor levels. However, this synthesis must consider local evidence and indigenous ways of knowing. The focus of this evidence synthesis project is on youth employment with a focus on women and disability and initially covers 3 countries in Africa.
As part of Mastercard’s Young Africa Works project, I have had an amazing chance to help shape a strategy aimed at transforming the lives of millions of young people in Africa. This initiative has a bold goal: to help 30 million youth, especially young women, secure jobs they actually want to work in by 2030.
Being involved in the Youth Voices working groups has been a powerful experience for me. In our discussions, I’ve seen how much better it is to prioritise youth-driven ideas, because the solution is for us after all. The working group has become a space where our voices are not only heard but valued, and our contributions have the potential to shape real change. We dive deep into topics like youth employment, the role of indigenous knowledge in creating sustainable solutions, and the importance of generating local evidence to ensure our strategies truly serve the communities they’re meant to uplift.
One of the most interesting aspects has been our focus on extracting relevant data from research papers. It has truly been a learning process for me to work with local evidence. We analyze findings to make sure our ideas are realistic and specific to Africa’s unique problems.
This work has fueled my passion for iCode Abakwa, the initiative I’m building to use technology to solve Africa’s specific problems. At iCODE Abakwa, we’re committed to solving Africa’s problems through tech, but we’re doing so with an emphasis on contextualisations. Africa’s issues are multifaceted, and one-size-fits-all solutions often fall flat. What we need are tailored approaches that honour our unique contexts, and my experiences with Young Africa Works have only deepened my belief in this mission.
Being part of this project has shown me that real impact happens when we take the time to understand our communities and work collaboratively. It has inspired me to push forward with iCode Abakwa, knowing that our efforts are part of a larger movement toward a brighter, more equitable future for Africa’s youth.
Stay tuned for the awesome things I have planned for iCodeAbakwa!
Kinlabel Okwen.
