Youth Co:Lab’s Post

As we move full steam ahead into 2025, we’re doubling down on our commitment to focus on the next generation of agri-entrepreneurs who we believe have the power to transform South Africa from food insecure to food secure—and even more than that, thriving! 🌍💚 Every entrepreneur and business starts somewhere. It often begins small, fueled by curiosity. Let’s keep our youth curious, let’s show them the opportunities available, and let’s mentor them to build a strong foundation for their futures. Together, we can help them set a new standard—no matter where they’re from. Let’s focus on inclusion, not exclusion. By giving all young minds the tools and guidance they need, we’re setting the stage for a brighter, more sustainable future. The journey starts with us, and we’re excited to be part of their growth. #AgriEntrepreneurs #YouthEmpowerment #SustainableFarming #FoodSecurity #Mentorship #Innovation #InclusiveGrowth

As we move full steam ahead into 2025, we’re doubling down on our commitment to focus on the next generation of agri-entrepreneurs who we believe have the power to transform South Africa from food insecure to food secure—and even more than that, thriving! 🌍💚 Every entrepreneur and business starts somewhere. It often begins small, fueled by curiosity. Let’s keep our youth curious, let’s show them the opportunities available, and let’s mentor them to build a strong foundation for their futures. Together, we can help them set a new standard—no matter where they’re from. Let’s focus on inclusion, not exclusion. By giving all young minds the tools and guidance they need, we’re setting the stage for a brighter, more sustainable future. The journey starts with us, and we’re excited to be part of their growth. #AgriEntrepreneurs #YouthEmpowerment #SustainableFarming #FoodSecurity #Mentorship #Innovation #InclusiveGrowth

As we move full steam ahead into 2025, we’re doubling down on our commitment to focus on the next generation of agri-entrepreneurs who we believe have the power to transform South Africa from food insecure to food secure—and even more than that, thriving! 🌍💚 Every entrepreneur and business starts somewhere. It often begins small, fueled by curiosity. Let’s keep our youth curious, let’s show them the opportunities available, and let’s mentor them to build a strong foundation for their futures. Together, we can help them set a new standard—no matter where they’re from. Let’s focus on inclusion, not exclusion. By giving all young minds the tools and guidance they need, we’re setting the stage for a brighter, more sustainable future. The journey starts with us, and we’re excited to be part of their growth. #AgriEntrepreneurs #YouthEmpowerment #SustainableFarming #FoodSecurity #Mentorship #Innovation #InclusiveGrowth

Afri’Talent: Empowering Africa’s Creatives Are you a passionate African woman or young person ready to take your creative talents to the next level? The Women and Youth in the Creative Sector Cohort (Afri’Talent) is your gateway to unlocking the potential of Africa’s dynamic creative industries. As part of the AU’s Women and Youth Financial & Economic Inclusion (WYFEI 2030) Initiative, which is driving solutions to break systemic barriers of poverty and exclusion, Afri’Talent offers aspiring entrepreneurs, emerging professionals, and small business owners the tools, mentorship, and resources to grow and succeed. The program’s primary objective is to strengthen the capacity of Africa’s creative entrepreneurs by delivering tailored support in business development, investment readiness, and enhancing access to global markets. Selected participants will gain future-proof skills to position themselves as leaders in the continent’s growing creative economy.

We are pleased to launch UNDP's flagship Digital Inclusion Playbook 2.0 at the UN #SummitOfTheFuture, aligned with the #GlobalDigitalCompact vision, to ensure no one is left behind amid rapid tech evolutions like #AI and a dynamic global environment. This is a flagship guide with holistic strategies and 50+ case studies, emerging from our global consultations with 500+ contributors from 30+ countries, drawing expertise across the public sector, private sector, and civil society.   More than that, this is a call to action for #OurCommonFuture! We present a strategic framework for countries and communities to launch their own high-impact, multi-stakeholder digital inclusion campaigns tailored to local contexts.   We are delighted to collaborate with Singapore IMDA on this key initiative first launched at Asia Tech x Singapore in May 2024, and look forward to working with global partners in building a more inclusive digital future for all! Find the official press release here: https://lnkd.in/gzD2r_Xn Download Playbook 2.0 here: https://lnkd.in/gkf8vspj UNDP Accelerator Labs UNDP Pacific Accelerator Lab (Fiji) Ministry of Digital Development and Information GovTech Singapore Civil Service College Achim Steiner Haoliang Xu Robert Opp Marcos Neto Kanni Wignaraja Chuen Hong Lew PNUD en América Latina y el Caribe UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji UNDP in the Arab States region UNDP Africa UNDP in Asia and the Pacific PNUD Perú

A very important document has been released by UNDP to take digital development forward with a collective effort from all parts of the world. Every country, every region has different challenges and this document can be a powerful guide to address issues with digital development. A must read for those who are working in digital development. Thank you Gary C. for the collaboration. #digitaldevelopment #digitaldivide #ICT4D #digitalinclusion

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 As part of our Reclaiming the #Gambian Dream series, we conducted four polls to gather insights on critical issues shaping The #Gambia’s future. I’m grateful to everyone who engaged with these discussions, and today, I’m excited to share the results of our final poll in the series. 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝟰 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱: "What’s the most critical factor for empowering Gambian youth and women?" The results are telling: #𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 emerged as the leading priority, capturing 𝟯𝟮% of the votes. This reflects a strong consensus on the need to foster entrepreneurial opportunities and provide financial tools that empower youth and women to lead economic transformation. #𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, with 𝟮𝟴%, underscores the foundational role of education in equipping the next generation with the skills needed for growth and innovation. 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗶𝗻 #𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵, #𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 #𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 received 𝟮𝟰%, highlighting the importance of creating meaningful employment opportunities that tap into The Gambia’s potential. Finally, 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 #𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 #𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, at 𝟭𝟲%, reminds us that true empowerment requires inclusive participation in decision-making and policy shaping. These results from results reveal an interlinked ecosystem of priorities where entrepreneurship, education, job creation, and inclusion must work together to unlock The Gambia’s potential. These insights and those from polls 1 to 3 will directly inform an 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿, ‘Reimagining The Gambia: A Strategic Framework for Vision 2050.’ It’s important to emphasize that this research is 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮. It reflects 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝘆 and a 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 to progress. The framework will propose 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 to a sustainable and inclusive future, and it will be shared soon to spark 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 and 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁—𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲 #𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. #Gambia #Africa #Aid #dependence #universityofthe Gambia #UOTG, #Institutions #Corruption #transparency

Celebrating the 2nd anniversary of MORE Special Needs: Tunisia's first Entrepreneurship Program dedicated to People with Disabilities & Special Needs. 🧑🏻🦼🧑🏻🦯🦻🏻🧑🏻🦳 Last week, as we celebrated The International Day of People with Disabilities on December 3rd, I looked back at one of the most memorable programs that I had the honor to build within Impact Partner: ➕ MORE - Making Opportunities Reachable and Equal! Weeks of brainstorming, benchmarking, and doing research. From coming up with a memorable name, choosing brand elements and the right jargon to navigating the challenges of building a high-value curriculum, navigating a scarce pipeline, and implementing an innovative movement that took the Tunisian entrepreneurship ecosystem to a whole new level of inclusion and empowerment. 💪 Today, as I get to witness how MORE inspired and paved the way for new initiatives that follow the steps of the program, I feel fulfilled. It makes me that I created a real impact, and left a tangible trace! 👣 🥹🥳The Demo Day reflects the final milestone of a huge learning journey I had the privilege to share with inspiring individuals. Watching this video again, and knowing how far all the participating entrepreneurs have reached, brings me tears of joy. [ Watch Full Video 👇 ] 🙋♀️ Read more about the program & Demo Day here: https://lnkd.in/gAPpYwXk --- About MORE: Initiated by Impact Partner, and funded by the IFC - International Finance Corporation, MORE is an initiative that aims to bridge entrepreneurship and diversity, raise awareness about underrepresented groups, promote empowerment, and support a shift toward a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.  For the first edition, the "Special Needs" theme was chosen to shed light on the challenges, opportunities, and efforts being made within this context. 🧑🏻🦳👩🏻🦽👨🏻🦯🔇 Olfa Dabbabï khaoula BEN AHMED Souleima Ben Temime Khouloud Abid Mohamed Kharrat Nada GHAMMEM Sonia Kherigi Nasfi Nour El Imane Nasfi Khadija Jallouli #MORE #Impact #MORE #inclusion #MORE #capabilities

Post-COVID-19 Reflections and #StrategicShifts As we emerge from the shadows of the pandemic, our agency finds itself grappling with familiar challenges that once seemed distant. The pivot and scaling we embarked on before the world shut down have left their mark, and now, as opportunities resurface, we're confronted with the realities of building a high-performing team. In the realm of business rescue, I've witnessed firsthand how the ability to attract and retain top talent is a critical factor in an SME's success. Simply training graduates or relying on existing team members won't cut it. As we celebrate 30 years of democracy in South Africa, I'm grateful for the progress we've made in the gig economy as Black Founders and Black Women Entrepreneurs. This innovative model of collaboration aligns with our agency's mission to transform economies. While I've been cautious about the potential challenges of Pan-African partnerships, I'm now ready to take a more proactive approach. To accelerate our growth, we've made strategic shifts: Collaborative Partnerships: We're partnering with like-minded ecosystems, such as South Africa's first focused media pipeline in the CSI and social impact sectors. By leveraging their expertise, we can collectively build and scale the vision of #ECAfrica. We're also exploring similar partnerships with Tech Start ups and #SMM's to create a more robust network and accelerate our impact. #CapacityBuilding: We're investing in crowdfunding to rebuild our visual and podcast teams, ensuring that our stories are amplified effectively. Community Building: We're establishing EC Africa community groups to foster collaboration and support among entrepreneurs. Inspiration from the Past The untimely passing of our esteemed client and friend @JessicaMbagengi serves as a poignant reminder of life's fragility. Inspired by her legacy and the teachings of #SteveJobs, I've focused on building the right team, regardless of differences. What changes have you made in this season? Share your insights and let's collectively navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead." #PostCOVID19 #BusinessGrowth #TeamBuilding #ECAfrica #SMME #Leadership #Transformation #Collaborationthepositiveside #InspirationalLeadership

2024 Wrapped: Empowering Communities, Transforming Lives As we look back on 2024 Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University is deeply humbled to celebrate a year filled with milestones, impact, and transformative achievements. Together with our partners, we’ve made significant strides in empowering entrepreneurs and fostering sustainable development across Nigeria and beyond. Top Achievements Breakdown • Over 15,246 km traveled, ensuring every region feels our impact. • Took capacity building programs to 700 LGAs out of Nigeria’s 774 LGAs truly touching lives nationwide. All locations had crèches and trainings done in over 10 different languages inclusive of sign language! • Launched 2 Handbooks : On Inclusive and Equitable Programming, promoting diversity in entrepreneurial spaces. On Safeguarding, ensuring safe and ethical practices across all levels of programming. • Produced 2 sector-specific reports to guide small businesses. • Delivered 46,124 hours of advisory services to entrepreneurs. • Trained 90,501 women across 34 states + FCT, strengthening gender equality in entrepreneurship. • Empowered 5000+ youths in collaboration with 2 state governments. • Supported 10 women through tech-related programs, driving inclusivity in technology. • Introduced Circo Hub, Africa’s first circular business platform, promoting sustainability in business. 🤝 Building Partnerships with over 10 strategic partners, including: • BlueRock Circular Business Platform Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH , @Global AI Council, Harvard Business School Alumni Association, over 8 State governors and many more. 🌍 Going Global • Established the EDC Alumni UK Hub, connecting Nigerian entrepreneurs with opportunities in the UK. • 40+ Nigerian brands showcased in South Africa. • 5 EDC Alumni proudly represented Nigeria at global competitions. Driving Financial Inclusion Secured ₦2 billion+ in funding for SMEs, ensuring our entrepreneurs have the resources to scale their ventures. 2024 was a year of incredible progress, and we’re committed to building on this momentum in 2025. Thank you to our partners, alumni, and supporters for being part of this journey. Let’s keep empowering communities through impactful achievements! Olawale Anifowose, DBA Peter Bamkole, PhD Nnenna Ugwu Bayo Rotimi Prof Fabian Ajogwu SAN Audrey Joe-Ezigbo Peju Adebajo Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) #Impact2024 #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #EDC #EmpoweringWomen #Safeguarding #GoingGlobal