Roadmap refresh of Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works-Uganda program

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Situation

In 2018, Mastercard Foundation launched the Young Africa Works program, a 10-year strategy to enable 30 million young people, especially young women in Africa, to access Dignified and Fulfilling work. The strategy deepens the Foundation’s focus and investment allocation toward solving youth unemployment, one of the continent's most significant challenges. It recognizes youth as change agents and solvers of their challenges if their voice and agency can be harnessed. In Uganda, implementation of the strategy began in 2019. 

After five years of progress—with 2020 and 2021 primarily focused on helping participants and businesses respond to the COVID-19 pandemic—the Foundation wished to conduct a strategic review of the Program and the Roadmap to identify and frame strategic choices that will enable the acceleration of impact for 2030. The Foundation’s Young Africa Works Uganda Strategy aims to deliver dignified and fulfilling jobs for >4.5 million youth, 70% of whom are women, refugees, and people living with disabilities.

Industries
Strategy, Data & Insights
Impact Evaluation & Learning
Program Design & Business Development
Agribusiness & Food Systems
Youth Economic Opportunity
Humanitarian
Digital Transformation
Engagement

The Foundation contracted ORI to conduct a detailed review of the roadmap and take stock of progress towards meeting the target of 4.5 million. In addition, ORI was tasked to assess the robustness of the country strategy to accelerate and scale the program's impact. At the current delivery rate, the Foundation has determined that there will be a significant shortfall against targets. It is on this basis that the review was conducted.

ORI advised the Foundation by:

  • Conducting extensive secondary and primary research, data collection, key informant interviews, co-creation workshops, validating findings, work opportunity identification, prioritization, digital economy integration, and strategies for outreach.
  • Supporting the Foundation’s Young Africa Works Uganda team to reflect and take stock of progress towards meeting the program’s targets.
  • Assessing progress across all portfolio programs across Agrifood systems and climate change, Workforce development, Entrepreneurship and enterprise development, Digital economy, Financial inclusion, and Gender equity and inclusion.
  • Identifying strategies and investments to deepen and accelerate progress to meet the Country Roadmap targets by 2030.
    Framing strategic choices for accelerating impact that will enable 4.3 million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work, with emphasis on young women.
  • Identifying strategies to ensure an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient impact post the Foundation’s support.
  • Evaluating, reviewing, and refreshing the Young Africa Works/Uganda strategy and Roadmap towards the Foundation’s 2030 impact journey.
Outcomes

The Foundation used the insights in the refreshed Roadmap to deepen the design of existing and new programs, resulting in accelerated progress towards the 2030 targets.