Junior Achievement South Africa is excited to announce the second year of the Social Equity Initiative, in partnership with the Z Zurich Foundation.
The partnership will enable thousands of youth across Africa to access JA programs that sets them on the path to success, not just as individuals but as leaders who will influence positive change within their communities.
This year we enter our second year of this strategic partnership, having impacted over 6200 South African youth with mentorship, coaching and placing social equity at the heart of solving problems in their communities.
South Africa’s high unemployment rate, the fiscal deterioration, logistical crisis and loadshedding are among the key issues requiring innovative solutions that need to be addressed. The launch of the JA Social Equity initiative aims to address these shortfalls and position youth to create, bright boundless, futures.
The program further incorporates mental wellbeing, a key priority to human development across African youth.
“ South Africa’s high unemployment rate, the fiscal deterioration, logistical crisis and loadshedding are among the key issues requiring innovative solutions that need to be addressed. The launch of the JA Social Equity initiative aims to address these shortfalls and position youth to create bright, boundless futures, says Nelo Spies, JASA Executive Director.
Z Zurich Foundation (ZZF), JA Worldwide, and JA Africa are also proud to announce the expansion of the Social Equity Program (SEP) to seven countries, returning for a second year in Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, and Uganda, while introducing youth-educational experiences in four new countries: Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Tanzania, and Togo.
Since its inception, SEP has proven to be a transformative force, positively impacting the lives of over 10,000 direct beneficiaries. Delivered through dynamic boot camps, interactive seminars, and workshops, both in-person and via JA Africa’s Digital Entrepreneurship Education Program (JA DEEP), the program has catalyzed the creation of nearly 500 social equity projects, to the benefit of tens of thousands more. Now, the program is expanding to include Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Tanzania, and Togo to empower an additional 46,000 post-secondary youth aged 16–25. This expansion is towards the goal of impacting the lives of more than 550,000 youth at the end of the three-year partnership.
SEP instills the ethos of social entrepreneurship, championing initiatives that address the continent’s challenges with climate change, food shortages, and inadequate infrastructure for health and education. Moreover, mentorship opportunities provided by Zurich Insurance Group employees from diverse global backgrounds extend participants’ perspectives and networks far beyond their local communities, fostering invaluable connections and expanding their horizons.
“Providing equal opportunities for youth in underserved communities is a key tenet of this partnership, said Simi Nwogugu, President, and CEO at JA Africa ZZF’s focus on social equity is pivotal in creating a level playing field where everyone has a fair chance to succeed and thrive. Achieving social equity requires proactive efforts to identify and address disparities in areas such as education and employment. We are thrilled about this expansion. The success achieved so far is not ours alone; it is a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the government entities, local businesses, educational institutions, and the dedicated individuals who have supported us on this journey.”.
Head of Z Zurich Foundation, Gregory Renand, said “By providing resources, knowledge, and skills to youth in underserved communities, we can empower them to chart their own course toward sustainable employment. Collaborating with multiple actors is key to unlocking youth potential. We are thrilled to scale this program further by supporting JA Africa to operate in more countries in the region for many years to come.
With youth unemployment rates soaring and the challenge of NEET (students not in education, employment, or training) becoming increasingly prevalent, the urgency to empower young people to be innovative job creators rather than job seekers has never been more crucial. In Africa, where twelve million youth compete for only three million jobs annually, initiatives like SEP are paramount in addressing this pressing issue.
Interested youth in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape are invited to email Akani Mkansi, National Project Lead for South Africa
About JA South Africa
Junior Achievement (JA) South Africa is one of South Africa’s largest and most-impactful youth-serving NGOs. JA South Africa has a presence in all nine provinces and has reached over 600,000 youth since its inception in 1979. It is JA Africa’s oldest chapter and reaches youth through work readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. Visit www.jasa.org.za for details.
About Z Zurich Foundation
The Z Zurich Foundation works alongside Zurich Insurance Group employees and other stakeholders as well as with governments and NGOs in pursuit of a future where people can thrive in the face of increasing climate hazards, where those of us feeling the stresses of life are empowered to speak up, and where the marginalized in our society can reach their full potential.
