2023 Q1 Board Book (Staff)

The March 28-31, 2023 Board Meeting focused on the Foundation's continued commitment to its Young Africa Works strategy, alongside other key initiatives such as the Saving Lives and Livelihoods program and a focus on strategic development in key areas. The Foundation is also focused on impact measurement and strengthening its partnerships to achieve its goals.

Key activities and initiatives include:

1) Young Africa Works Implementation: The Foundation is continuing to implement its Young Africa Works strategy, with a focus on enabling access to dignified and fulfilling work for young people in Africa. The 2023 goal is to reach 30 million young people, with specific KPIs including 70% women and 75% African/Indigenous partners. The Foundation is working to achieve this by focusing on key sectors such as agribusiness, agro-processing, manufacturing, and the digital economy. The Foundation's roadmap aligns with national economic plans in countries like Ethiopia, and it seeks to address systemic barriers to create and promote inclusive work opportunities.

2) Program Performance Review: The Foundation conducted a performance review of its Ethiopia program, highlighting its focus on enabling six million young people to secure dignified work by the end of 2025. The program has supported enterprises in the agribusiness, manufacturing, and digital economy sectors, and is creating systems-level changes that will shape the youth employment agenda. The review also highlighted the importance of digital technology and youth-led initiatives in accelerating private sector development and creating job opportunities.

3) Research and Learning: The Foundation is committed to generating knowledge and insights to support its programs. The research strategy consists of four pillars: program research, strategic research, research systems strengthening, and knowledge mobilization. The Foundation is also working to amplify program impact and inform strategic decision-making through research. This includes producing flagship knowledge products such as the 'State of Young Africa Works Report' and the Youth Voices Report Series. The Foundation aims to strengthen African and Indigenous research systems and elevate youth voices through its research.

4) Impact Measurement Framework: The Foundation uses an "Impact Pyramid" to assess outcomes and impact at various levels, including individual partner, portfolio, and systems levels. It aims to measure both short-term and long-term impact on the lives and livelihoods of young people. The Foundation is completing country baseline assessments and will produce Country Impact Reports annually, starting in 2024. Key performance indicators include outreach, youth in work, youth in dignified and fulfilling work, system changes, and impact on young people's lives.

5) Saving Lives and Livelihoods: The Foundation's Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative has administered approximately 16.5 million vaccine doses in 20 countries. The program is focusing on integrating COVID-19 vaccinations into routine country vaccinations. The program is also working to develop vaccine manufacturing capabilities in Africa, including a partnership with the Institute Pasteur de Dakar. The Foundation is also strengthening Africa CDC's capacity to drive implementation in member states.

6) Strategy Development: The Foundation is exploring new opportunities to unlock youth employment in the African IT and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services sector. It aims to build Africa's supply of digital talent, catalyze demand by scaling African operators, and partner with others to attract global companies. The Foundation also seeks to address systemic barriers and align incentives to support the growth of this sector. Additionally, the Foundation has developed a Refugees and Displaced Persons Roadmap to support these communities through improved access to education and economic opportunities.

7) Partnership Approvals: The Foundation is seeking Board approval for new partnerships, including Leaders in Teaching Ghana to improve the quality of secondary education, and the Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) in Ethiopia, to create opportunities across agricultural value chains. The Foundation is also scaling existing partnerships, including with AfricaRice in the WAEMU region and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Ethiopia. The Foundation is working with partners who have a proven track record in the regions and are committed to creating sustainable change.

8) Policy and Thought Leadership: The Foundation is implementing a strategy that focuses on youth voice and agency, policy improvements, and mindsets and narratives. This includes partnerships with organizations like Africa No Filter to boost resources for African climate stories. The Foundation is also working with the AU Heads of State and the Government of Canada to advance its policy objectives.

These activities demonstrate the Foundation's commitment to its core goals, with a focus on both scaling existing programs and exploring new strategic opportunities. The emphasis on data-driven approaches, partnerships, and adapting to local contexts underscores the Foundation's efforts to create sustainable and meaningful change.