The CAPSI-Mastercard project, led by the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at the Wits Business School, invites African youth to comment on a research initiative targeting Dignified and Fulfilling employment for marginalized youth in 17 African Countries. The five-year Mastercard Foundation-funded project aims to explore the knowledge and opportunities arising from the Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy. Therefore, as the main role players, CAPSI is inviting African youth in shaping the research and ensuring its relevance and impact. Specifically, we seek insights, opinions, and suggestions on key project aspects, such as inclusion criteria and research methodologies. CAPSI acknowledges the diverse experiences and aspirations of African youth, including those from marginalized backgrounds such as young people with disabilities, LGBTQI Plus community, orphans, young people living with HIV-AIDS, young mothers, young women, young men, refugees, ex-convicts, and displaced communities.

The project has three main objectives. First, it aims to produce data and knowledge that details the extent to which the non-profit sector in 17 African countries is able to create decent, dignified, and fulfilling employment opportunities for young people between the ages of 15 and 35. This information will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of non-profit organizations in addressing youth unemployment.

Second, the project seeks to train 20 doctoral fellows from African universities over a period of five years. These students will specialize in disciplines such as social entrepreneurship, job creation, technology inclusion, financial inclusion, enterprise development, and youth studies. The training will empower these students to become experts in impactful youth employment research and development, contributing to sustainable solutions in Africa.

Lastly, the project aims to enable sustainable and reliable knowledge generation that benefits all stakeholders. It will provide measurement frameworks, data for decision-making, and a functional digital hub that matches the needs and opportunities of young Africans with dignified employment. By fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration, the project will create a supportive ecosystem for youth employment initiatives across the continent.

The project will be led by a dedicated team of researchers, including a female senior lead researcher who will oversee and run the project for its entire duration of five years. The team will also consist of four postdoctoral researchers who will serve as regional leads in the main regions of Africa: East, West, South, and North. These postdoctoral researchers will work closely with country representatives to ensure comprehensive data gathering and effective engagement with the local context, focusing specifically on the youth population. The senior lead researcher will provide overall guidance and coordination throughout the project, ensuring its successful implementation.

To facilitate further discussion and collaboration, we will be organizing a webinar in June where we can delve deeper into the project and have an open conversation on how you can actively contribute to shaping the research. We are eager to hear your insights and suggestions on how to ensure that the project is inclusive, representative, and truly impactful.

Together, we can work towards a better understanding of the non-profit sector’s contributions to youth employment and dignified work in Africa and create research outcomes that truly reflect the voices and needs of the youth.