Equity Bank, in colloboration with the Mastercard Foundation, have announced a programme to create over 3 Million jobs for young people and women by in a period of 10 years.
The partners launched the #YoungAfricaWorks strategy in Uganda that has been highlighted by observers as a bold commitment to enabling opportunities for young people. The strategy, seeks to employ 3M Ugandans (majorly women and youth) by 2030.
Mastercard Foundation, through their COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program have committed themselves to supporting young people economically to enable them swerve through the effects of the pandemic and help them recover.
Young Africa Works is a private sector led consortium funded by the Mastercard Foundation that seeks to focus on creating opportunities in Agriculture, MSME and around Refugees to enable youth and women employment in Uganda.
As Equity Bank Uganda, we want to focus on creating opportunities in Agriculture, MSME and around Refugees. But we also are the financial link between all partner members of this consortium to ensure financial inclusion.” Anthony Kituuka, the Equity Bank MD said at the launch.
Uganda is among the 10 African countries that the Mastercard Foundation has chosen to implement the Youth Africa Works program for sustainability.
Business mogul, Patrick Bitature was at the launch and he emphasised that they’re partnering with Mastercard to give a helping hand but not hand-outs as some youth may be excited to believe.
“Changing behaviour is not easy. Unless we change our attitude, unless we change our thinking. At the end of the day, it is about changing our behaviour. We should focus on the efforts of training the youth to give them skills and support their business.” Bitature said.
Mastercard has invested over 282M USD in Uganda since 2008. Some has gone to education with some 908 students currently benefiting from the program at Makerere University.
