African youth, like many around the world, are hungry to solve their own problems.
Not content to wait for institutions to take action, young people in Africa are taking charge of their futures today. They are creating jobs for themselves and their communities. They are expanding the services nongovernmental organizations offer from job skills development to psychosocial care. And they are raising their voices to influence policy changes in their countries.
This week, I had the honor of chairing a session on economic development with some of the Washington Fellows, a diverse group of 500 Africans who are in the United States as part of President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative. Within this amazing cohort, more than 150 already own a business and, as a group, they employ over 2,000 individuals.
About the author
Joyce Warner
Joyce Warner is senior vice president and chief of staff at IREX. She serves as a senior technical advisor to a portfolio of public- and privately-supported education and youth programs totalling over $85 million, in addition to providing leadership to a team of 80 education and development professionals worldwide.
