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Afrika Matters Masterclasses
COVID19 has halted the physical workshop impact of Africa Matters on African youth across the continent. Africa’s youth boom does not allow for any room to not empower, upskill and educate African youth. To overcome the effects of COVID19 on African youth, Africa Matters has launched the Africa Matters Masterclass (AMM).
AMM combines skills building training from the Africa Matters Youth Leadership Development Program focusing on seven topics including African Identity, Youth Advocacy, Personal Development, Career Strategy and Social Entrepreneurship. Content is developed by African youth experts across various industries and fields.
Youth who undergo this virtual empowerment opportunity will receive a certificate of participation for participating in the Masterclass and a certificate of completion for each module completed. Additionally, youth will join the strong network of African youth leaders from the continent and diaspora who are transforming their communities.
The Masterclass will be launched as soon as funding is received, with late August 2020 as the expected start date. And the Masterclass program including all 7 modules will run for 5 weeks. Thus far, Africa Matters has funded Zoom subscriptions, developed the content and hired facilitators to deliver the classes.
The online project is targeted towards African and diaspora youth between the ages of 18-35. Funding is specially raised for those who come from disadvantaged communities for them to gain the skills to transform their communities.
AMM is hosted through Zoom with modules hosted twice a week over a 5 week program. The participants can either select one module to attend or all the modules depending on what skills they want to focus on. Data will be provided for participants who cannot cover data costs.
Define three specific objectives that you would like to achieve with your proposal.
- Combat the effects of COVID19 on physical workshops through providing African youth with online development opportunities
- Connect African youth across geographical locations to be able to learn from one another and share ideas for community development
- Empower African youth with critical skills needed to impact their communities, with a focus on youth from disadvantaged communities and adolescent girls and young women. This also makes youth more employable which is important in a post-COVID19 world.
What problems (particularly in value chain competitiveness and global disruption) are your community’s stakeholders facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic?
Pre-COVID19 Africa already had the largest youth population in the world with over 230 million young people between 15 and 24 (UNICEF Generation 2030 Report). This youthful population was already perceived as an economic burden due to the poor quality of education, lack of skills development and insufficient protection of women and children.
To combat this burden, Africa Matters provided training and skills development for youth to build an Africa of economic opportunity. COVID19 has halted the physical workshop impact of Africa Matters on African youth across the continent. Moreover, COVID19 has exacerbated high levels of youth unemployment which is a major threat to Africa's growth with its large youth boom (WEForum, 2020).
To overcome the effects of COVID19 on African youth, Africa Matters has launched the Africa Matters Masterclass (AMM).
What minimum viable solution(s) are you proposing to address the challenge(s) in your community?
The AMI Masterclass will equip youth with the skills, knowledge and tools one needs to shape the Africa we want through transforming their community for the better. You will not only be inspired for action, but you will inspire those around you and ‘be the one you’ve been waiting for’.
Afrika Matters Masterclasses combines skills building training from the Afrika Matters Youth Leadership Development Program focusing on seven topics including African Identity, Youth Advocacy, Personal Development, Career Strategy and Social Entrepreneurship. Content is developed by African youth experts across various industries and fields.
Upon completion of the workshops we encourage our participants to implement the tools and skills that they gained from the workshop in their lives. This can be through employment searches (interview process, networking, etc) or creating youth advocacy in their local communities. They can also share these skills to people in their lives through various training or mentorship sessions.
Additionally participants receive a certificate of completion, and form part of the Africa Matters Young Leaders Network where they can connect with and be inspired by like-minded young people also transforming their communities for the better.
Through participating in these Masterclasses, African youth will emerge upskilled and empowered to transform their communities.
Share your story (your narrative)
The Beginning
Common Ground - Wanting to see Africa in a better and positive light. As well as to see a positive change in communities in Africa.
Proof - The increasing number of youth in Africa is seen as ‘dangerous” but when in fact we can use that to our advantage if we teach those youth the correct skills.
Idea - To empower African youth through building tangible skills.
The Middle
Support Stories - Melissa Sithole, Onor Jairus and Tensae Getu
Melissa Sithole: Problem - confidence in herself to know that she was able to use these skills. Solution - The soft skills module supported her in those fears. We found common ground with her through the need of wanting to make a change in her local community as to see a positive change in communities in Africa. Proof - Melissa Is now an intern at Africa Matters and used the skills at the workshop to help her work at Africa Matters.
Onor Jairus: Problem - Wanted to build his online business but did not know how. Solution - African Leadership Module and the Social Entrepreneurship module helped him understand how to be a leader and that final push to launch his business. Proof - Has now launched his online business.
Tensae Getu: Problem - Had a misinterpretation of leadership. Solution - The African Leadership module and the soft skills module helped her learn that she did not need to lead a large company to become a leader. Leaders can be as small as working towards a common goal at your workplace or at home. Proof - Obtained a job because of the skills gained at the workshop and is now also a workshop facilitator for Ethiopia’s YLDP.
The End
Destination - We encourage the participants who have completed their modules to implement those tools in their daily lives and local communities.
Call to Action - Do you consider yourself to be an African changemaker? Sign-up to the Africa Matters Masterclass: A virtual journey to African leadership, youth empowerment and networking. To take part of the journey towards advancing your leadership skills apply to the Africa Matters Masterclass today! https://www.africamattersinitiative.com/masterclass
Please provide any additional relevant information that you would like to share.
- UNICEF Generation 2030 Africa Report - Report highlights the African youth boom and the critical skills needed to ensure this youth boom is an economic opportunity and not a burden - https://data.unicef.org/resources/generation-2030-africa-2-0/
- COVID-19 is likely to increase youth unemployment in Africa - https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/covid-19-is-likely-to-increase-youth-unemployment-in-africa-this-is-how-business-can-mitigate-the-damage/
Your Final Proposal for challenge
yes
Hello i see yyou're new here Anyway this is a small piece of advice My advice Start small and build momentum, Being a social entrepreneur can be very difficult, you are constantly in a field dominated by changing dynamics, you will often face business challenges, and you have to start small and build your enterprise from the ground up. You must be resilient, realistic, and passionate about your goals and the impact you are trying to achieve. To add to your solution, I am sharing with you questions from one of our trainings that can help in refining our ideas and projects What business model will you follow to implement this idea? What methodology or strategy will you use during different processes of implementing this idea? Which are the processes you have to go through until the finalization of the idea? What means or tools do you need to implement my idea? Which are your potential collaborators, investors? I honestly suggest that before you submit your idea or project, please and ask yourself these questions and even if you have submitted their project, do remember that we still have opportunity to refine our ideas and resubmit. I hope that you find this useful. Also, please create time and take the campus online trainings as the trainings are there to help campus members understand what it is to be an entrepreneur. Consider my idea vote and comment on it Let co create Thank you
Sounds very good and in scaling?
This is a brilliant idea, similar to mine its called MEC 419 Innovative Study Initiative Network . Haven gradgruted as a Mechanic Engineering Technologist. I realized I lack the technical know how and that was one of the reason I opt in for polytechnic. So I can gain technical skills to support me as an entrepreneur upon graduation.
In summary the institution as it where could berelly come by. While in school, most of our course codes where MEC 234, MEC 234 and all that. Then I thought about if we could have a course that is mainly on innovation and practicals. Where students assignments will be to innovative anything of interest and at the end if it they will defend their project. With this everyone will participate no what what area you intend to innovative just think of any product and develop it.
On the other hand, the rate of cyber crime was was at his peak. every youth wants to make it quick without considering the consequences ahead, I for one actually live tech ICT and I could imagine what I can't creat with it. Those street Stars have access to tools for their evil Enterprise. I personally opt in for a training class on that part.
Then it dawn on me I didn't have the patience to wait that long while the future was not safe. That was what brought about MEC 419. Make Everyday Count.
The number "419" refers to the section of the Nigerian Criminal Code dealing with fraud, the charges and penalties for offenders. So in a nutshell, our initiative is free from any fraudulent activity while we focus on Making Everyday Count by virtue of creative thinking and innovative Study.
You can check us out on Facebook. MEC419.
In addition, this platform of yours will eradicate the idlenes amongst Youth also have them contribute in social activities to develop skill and capacity.
Few questions.
1) how do you come about your age bracket
2) how do you intend to secure funding and sustainability
3) those without smartphone and internet access how do you intend to carry them along
4) what have you done so far.
5) apart from getting a certificate, which other initiative have you put in place to assist thus youth so dey don't diversify from the aim and objectives of this program.
As I said, I'm a living testimony of what you are creating for. There was no platform for people like us. Then I joined YALI Network. Thanks to ITU for this opportunity to actually cocreate.
Best of luck. Am open for partnership I will be very pleased to support you in anyway capacity possible
Best regards.
This is a great initiative and it is really important that such capacity building and awareness can be offered on scale and not being limited to physical class rooms.
Hello Farai, well done on your idea. How do you intend to cater for those without smart phones, still quite a number in Africa. All the best
Welldone Farai, I see you've done a great deal on your own already, as the pictures suggest. Please do you have laid down criteria for picking field experts as facilitators or content developers, if you do, what are they?
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Hi Farah, great initiative and submission. I wanted to get clear on something, you mentioned you are waiting for funding to launch, kindly advise what the funding will be used for and what have you done so far to implement your idea? Have you considered partnership and collaboration by bringing on board experts to help you with running this? Then it would be great to share a narrative story to just help us have a clear picture of how it came about for you to identify that there was actually a problem needed your solution. Equally specify and identify the exact problem you are solving. All the best
Good Project !
great initiative. the only challenges that I am seeing are those of connectivity and devices for the students/pupils. Too many of them do not have access to affordable/reliable/unlimited internet and even if they do, may lack the device to do so. How do you anticipate that? It is also partially what we are trying to address with our idea. Have a look and vote for it if you like it: https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3496670
Hi Farai, i see a lot of improvement. Good job! Remember to list out the skills (don't just say skills) and justify why you are educating your target audience with these specific set of skills. Also, highlight your product differentiation. What makes you stand out and what are your current struggles as a budding entrepreneur and what needs to be done in your current environment to enable you to realize your goals and make a change in your community?
Consider these when you are answering your final submission form. Remember to include your video.
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