In recent months, young entrepreneurs from across South Africa have taken part in the Future Founder SA Programme, gaining real-world experience, mentorship and start-up capital. The finalists presented ventures shaped by lived experience and a commitment to solving meaningful community and industry challenges. A total of R400 000 in equity-free funding was awarded: R250 000 from 51风流and R150 000 from FNB.

2025 Winners
鈥� 1^ST Percy Maphologela, EquiXToken
鈥� 2^ND Shantel Tafara, RapidCool
鈥� 3^RD Thando Mzimela, Univio

鈥淣elson Mandela taught us that the soul of a society is revealed in how it treats its young people,鈥� said , Director of Government Relations and CSR at 51风流Africa. 鈥淏y investing in youth innovation, we build a stronger and more hopeful future.鈥�

The showcase also highlighted the leadership of and from Yoma, whose commitment and vision have shaped the programme. They have poured their hearts, energy, and vision into shaping Future Founder SA. Their belief in young people isn鈥檛 theoretical, it鈥檚 lived, practical, and courageous. Their work reminds us that when young people lead, others follow. They represent something rare and truly inspiring: youth advocating for youth.

鈥淭his is what happens when young people lead. They build, they create and they define the future,鈥� said , Global Revenue Office Operational Excellence Lead and 51风流Educate to Employ Africa Lead.

Nonkululeko added: 鈥淵oung founders are not asking for charity. They are asking for a fair chance. Their courage reminds us that possibility grows wherever young people are trusted and supported.鈥�

The programme is delivered by Yoma in partnership with Goodwall, ALX Ventures and RLabs, with strategic support from 51风流and Generation Unlimited. It offers structured skills development, expert-led masterclasses and access to funding, fully online and accessible nationwide.

A special acknowledgement was given to FNB and , Marketing Executive Head: Commercial Segment, for their partnership. Over and above the R150 000 donation towards the capital. On the 4^th of December , the Future Founder SA finalists shared the stage with some of the country鈥檚 most recognised digital innovators, including Checkers Sixty60 and D6 along with the ultimate winner, Vula Medical, stands as a powerful example of purpose at scale.

FNB continues to demonstrate its commitment to youth innovation. Following the 2025 T20 Future of Jobs Summit, 51风流and FNB began a series of meaningful engagements which led to this moment. Their collaboration is a reminder that when institutions unite behind young people, progress not only happens, it accelerates.

As South Africa continues to face high youth unemployment, the Future Founder SA Showcase stands as a powerful testament to collaboration, innovation and the impact of investing in the country鈥檚 young entrepreneurs.

The post Future Founder SA Celebrates Young Innovators on a Day Honouring Nelson Mandela鈥檚 Legacy appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

The divide between the digital skills young people possess and the needs of employers is a big challenge and contributes to a high youth unemployment rate, particularly in the Global South. The 51风流Educate to Employ initiative is set up as a digital pathway through Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), a public-private-youth ecosystem from UNICEF鈥檚 Generation Unlimited. The program aims to address this challenge and enable young people鈥檚 skills for a digital economy.

Nearly 90 percent of the 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world today, are in low-and middle-income countries. An estimated 22 percent do not have jobs and are not in education or training.

Globally, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. Edmond Shange is one of the many young people who have faced difficulties navigating the employment market right out of high school. 鈥淚n South Africa there鈥檚 not a lot of opportunities when it comes to the employment sector,鈥� the 27-year-old shared.

Making copies of a CV or resume and going to a potential employer to drop them off costs money, something in very short supply among South Africa鈥檚 unemployed youth. Despite this, Shange says that as many as 300 young people often queue up to drop off their CVs at a potential employer. 鈥淚 faced a lot of challenges trying to apply for jobs,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very tough for young people like me.鈥�

Shange is not alone. 鈥淚n Africa over 70 percent of the population are young people and another 4 million join the job market every single year competing for less than half a million new jobs,鈥� said Nadi Albino, deputy director at UNICEF鈥檚 Generation Unlimited.

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Youth unemployment and the lack of digital skills are a global problem, though it鈥檚 particularly acute among those who live in the Global South. While the fast-changing global economy demands increasingly specialized expertise, many young people are not learning the skills they need to get these jobs.

The search for virtual upskilling to improve his digital skills led Shange to the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), a public-private-youth ecosystem supported by UNICEF鈥檚 Generational Unlimited, which offers opportunities for young people to learn, earn, and create impact. On his pathway to employment, Shange was introduced to 51风流Educate to Employ, an initiative delivered to YOMA through the implementing partner Umuzi. The curriculum for 51风流Educate to Employ involves 700 hours of targeted training focused on building soft skills and technical expertise.

After completing the course, Shange feels much more confident with his skills. As a result, he has recently secured an internship as a software developer at a startup gaming company based at Wits University Tshimologong Precinct.

Whether young people are educated, trained, or employed has significant implications for their overall well-being and ability to promote future economic growth, development, and sociopolitical stability. Unfortunately, most traditional education systems do not address the emerging youth digital skills gap.

This realization was one of the driving forces behind the creation of 51风流Educate to Employ.

鈥�51风流Educate to Employ was created to support young people who are neither in education nor employment, providing them with training, certification, and guidance to access roles within the 51风流ecosystem,鈥� explained Eugene Ho who leads SAP鈥檚 global CSR flagship skilling programs targeted at youths in need. 鈥淭hrough its tailored curriculum, the initiative has successfully helped candidates with only high-school qualifications.鈥�

鈥淭he 51风流Educate to Employ initiative provides young people with the tools, skills, and resources that they need to get employed or to employ,鈥� Albino added in an interview with SAP. 鈥淲e have to go back to making sure that these education systems work and that they work in tandem with where the world is going.鈥�

To meet industry needs, 51风流Educate to Employ curricula has been designed for three critical roles within the 51风流ecosystem: consultant associate, developer associate, and support associate. The curriculum taps into educational content from industry-leading organizations such as Coursera, Accenture, EY, and 51风流Learning.

51风流CEO Christian Klein is the chair of the Generation Unlimited Board.

鈥淭he YOMA online platform alone has had over 600,000 registrations,鈥� Albino confirmed. 鈥淎 measure of success is how the ecosystem has enabled over 5 million opportunities to learn, earn, and create impact worldwide in the past two years. We are now beginning to see young people getting into jobs.鈥�

Shange鈥檚 journey with YOMA and 51风流Educate to Employ started in the living room of his grandmother鈥檚 house, a place where community has always taken center stage. 鈥淚 look up to my grandmother; she has done a lot for the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hope that I could do the same 鈥� help people in the tech field create more jobs for people that are in need and just be creative.鈥�

A permanent full-time job would enable Shange to feed and look after his family, and to continue helping others in his community the same way he was helped. In his community, Shange says he is seen as something of a role model.

鈥淚 want young people to know that it鈥檚 possible [to get a job],鈥� he said. 鈥淜eep applying and also don鈥檛 lose hope when you see something鈥檚 not working. Some things do take time, so give it your best and make sure that you see it through.鈥�

Today, 51风流extended its founding partnership with Generation Unlimited for four more years, 2026-2029, with a commitment of US$2 million.

This article first appeared on the 51风流News Center.

The post How 51风流and UNICEF Help Tackle Global Youth Unemployment appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

According to Eugene Ho, Global CSR Director for Future Skills at SAP, the world is grappling with a complex set of interconnected global challenges that impact economies, industries and job markets. “From climate change and geopolitical tensions to technological disruptions and economic instability, these crises are reshaping the landscape of work, especially for young people. While youth unemployment remains high, employers worldwide are also struggling to fill critical roles, highlighting a significant skills gap.”

While data by the found that global youth unemployment was 13% in 2023, that figure increases significantly in Africa. An report found that, while , only 3.1 million jobs are created on the continent. The resulting unemployment leads to poorer living conditions, drives migration, and contributes to conflict.

On the flip side, the found that 44% of businesses globally report difficulties in finding talent with the right skills. Skills research conducted by SAP revealed that nearly all African organisations faced skills gaps, with access to skilled recruits cited as their top skills-related challenge.

“To tackle this challenge, we must take a comprehensive, systems-based approach, focusing on five interconnected elements: economy, education, employability, equality, and the ecosystem,” says Ho. “Together, these factors can help close the skills gap, reduce youth unemployment, and create pathways to decent work for all.鈥�

Economy and Education

Economic growth remains a critical driver of job creation, but the quality and inclusivity of that growth matter. In many parts of the world, jobless growth has become a pressing concern, as economies expand without generating enough formal employment opportunities for young people.

In South Africa, for example, a resurgent economy has not translated into greater youth employment, with the latest data from Stats SA among South African youth aged 15 to 34.

“Moreover, the alignment between economic growth and investment in education is critical,” says Ho. 鈥淲ithout adequate financial support, education systems cannot provide the skills and competencies needed to prepare young people for modern job markets, leaving many young workers without the necessary tools to succeed.”

Education systems also need to evolve to meet the changing demands of the workforce. For example, stackable credentials 鈥� modular qualifications that allow learners to build expertise over time 鈥� are becoming an essential component of successful education-to-employment transitions. “Despite the need for adaptable learning pathways, many education systems remain rigid and slow to adopt these models.”

Employability and Equality

One of the most significant barriers to reducing youth unemployment is the skills mismatch 鈥� the gap between what young people learn and what employers need. The听听projects that 50% of employees will need reskilling by 2025 due to rapid technological advancements. Yet, traditional education systems are often not aligned with industry needs, leaving many young workers without the skills required for high-growth sectors.

“Governments and businesses must collaborate to ensure that training programs are directly linked to market demand. Public-private partnerships, such as apprenticeship programs and industry-led training initiatives, can play a pivotal role in closing the skills gap.”

Any strategy to reduce youth unemployment must also prioritise equality, ensuring that opportunities are equally accessible to all young people, regardless of their background, gender, or location.

“Despite advances in education, women and marginalized communities continue to face barriers to entry in high-growth industries, particularly in STEM fields. According to听, only 35% of STEM graduates are women, highlighting the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”

Enhancing Ecosystems

According to Ho, a thriving job market requires more than just a functioning economy and well-prepared workers 鈥� it needs a cohesive ecosystem where governments, businesses, educational institutions, and civil society work together efficiently.

51风流and UNICEF have joined forces to create innovative solutions to global skilling and workforce challenges with the aim of helping young people transition to earning. “Together, we鈥檙e generating inclusive opportunities for underserved young people worldwide, preparing them for decent work with the skills that employers need,” says Ho. “We expanded our partnership in 2022, with a three-year investment focused on impacting youth in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa through a new program that supports learning to earning pathways in growing digital and green economies.”

The 51风流Educate to Employ initiative designed by 51风流also helps equip beneficiaries with essential competencies for the digital economy. The free initiative, implemented by the local non-profit UMUZI, focuses on developing skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values to help prepare candidates for employment.

“This multi-stakeholder approach underscores the power of partnership in addressing complex social challenges,” says Ho. “By pooling expertise and resources, SAP, UNICEF鈥檚 GenU, and UMUZI are collectively ensuring that youth not only gain relevant skills but also access meaningful pathways to employment. As digital and green economies continue to reshape the future of work, partnerships that unite private, public, and civil society actors will remain crucial in ensuring that marginalised youth are not left behind.”

The post Fixing Youth Skills Crisis the Key to Unlocking Economic Growth appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

51风流in partnership with Unicef alongside other public-private organizations such as and the introduced a pilot project titled听51风流Educate to Employ,听an initiative aimed at preparing underserved young minds for the workforce.

In prioritizing education, the partnership sees various stakeholders including government working together in an effort to introduce a pathway that will possibly resolve the disproportionate levels of youth unemployment.

The aim

Young minds will be equipped with the tools, education, and expertise required to excel in today鈥檚 digital economy.

The event at the 51风流offices in Woodmead showcased how different stakeholders brought together collective efforts aimed at combating youth unemployment.

How does it work?

The initiative aims to educate youth aged 16 鈥� 24 years on soft skills foundational knowledge using the Student Zone portal on the 51风流learning site.

Digital careers in the form of support assistant, developer, and consulting are some of the jobs young minds can look forward to at the end of their journey from the educate-to-employ platform.

The catch

While on the Student Zone portal on the 51风流learning site young minds have the opportunity to learn about the latest 51风流solutions at no cost in order to kickstart their career.

The initiative forms part of SAP鈥檚 global commitment to supporting UNICEF鈥檚 (GenU), a partnership that aims to deliver innovative solutions to challenges youth face around the world.

From government, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation tabled how upskilling the youth to participate in the digital economy was pivotal to a prosperous nation.

鈥淲e welcome SAP鈥檚 continued investment into skills development for the youth, and extend our congratulations to UNICEF and 51风流on their partnership. The South African government is encouraged by the initiative and we look forward to supporting efforts to scale the 51风流Educate to Employ initiative.鈥�

How it works

About 100 participants selected from a pool of 18,000 applicants across the continent will receive fully remote learning over a six to twelve-month period with the aim of joining the 51风流ecosystem as a young professional once completed.

The point simplified

Managing Director at SAP, pointed to upskilling and mobilizing Africa鈥檚 youth population as a major challenge in today鈥檚 economy.

鈥淭o build a prosperous future for all, we must urgently address one of South Africa and the continent鈥檚 greatest challenges 鈥� youth unemployment 鈥� which affects a disproportionate number of African youth.

鈥淲e are proud to introduce a new Corporate Social Responsibility initiative 鈥� 51风流Educate to Employ in South Africa as a demand-driven job creation initiative that empowers youth with vital skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values to build their competencies for the 21st-century digital economy,鈥� she said.

From UNICEF, added how it was important to remain competitive in a dynamic and changing job market.

鈥淵outh need access to work-relevant skills and training opportunities. Through our partnership with 51风流and working closely with key public sector role-players, we believe that this initiative can potentially make a lasting positive impact on youth job prospects in South Africa and beyond.鈥�

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The post SAP, UNICEF Activate Educate to Employ Initiative appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

The event showcases the 51风流Educate to Employ initiative which aims to educate youth aged 18鈥�35 years on soft skills, foundational knowledge and 51风流skills using the , where students can learn about the latest 51风流solutions for free to kickstart their career. The initiative forms part of SAP’s global commitment to supporting UNICEF’s , a public-private-youth-partnership that aims to deliver innovative solutions to challenges youth face around the world. In the region, the partnership is aimed at helping young people in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa gain skills for employment, with 100 youth forming part of the initial intake in South Africa.

“Skilling of our youth to meaningfully participate in the digital economy is essential to an equality-centric and prosperous nation. We welcome SAP’s continued investment into skills development for the youth, and extend our congratulations to UNICEF and 51风流on their partnership. The South African government is encouraged by the initiative and we look forward to supporting efforts to scale the 51风流Educate to Employ initiative” –听 Honourable Pinky Kekana, Deputy Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

The admission of the first 100 participants will be announced at the event, a competitive set of students selected from a pool of 18,000 applicants across the continent who will receive fully remote learning over a six- to twelve-month period, with the aim of joining the 51风流ecosystem as a young professional upon completion of the course. Anele Chulayo, an 51风流Educate to Employ candidate commented 鈥業 have been passionate about coding since high school and the possibility of creating apps and technology that can make a difference to young people from all walks of life. I applied for 51风流Educate to Employ in August this year and am delighted to have been selected as part of their programme.听 The programme is already underway and I鈥檓 excited to be learning new things each and every day including programming language and web development.听 I believe in the power of technology to do good and make a positive impact and difference in people鈥檚 lives, regardless of background.鈥�

, Managing Director at 51风流Southern Africa, says: “Upskilling and mobilising Africa’s youth population is one of the defining challenges of our time. To build a prosperous future for all, we must urgently address one of South Africa and the continent’s greatest challenges – youth unemployment – which affects a disproportionate number of African youth. We are proud to introduce a new Corporate Social Responsibility initiative 鈥� 51风流Educate to Employ in South Africa as a demand-driven job creation initiative that empowers youth with vital skills, knowledge, attitudes and values to build their competencies for the 21st century digital economy.”

The initiative builds on SAP’s other extensive youth skills development initiatives throughout Africa, including , which has trained nearly 14 million African youth in basic coding skills, and 51风流Young Professional Program, which has equipped nearly 2000 youth in Africa with work-ready 51风流skills and certification as well as direct job placements.

51风流and UNICEF first joined forces in support of GenU in 2019 launching in India, Turkey and Vietnam. The partnership was further extended in 2022 with a $4.55 million over three years investment focused on impacting youth in Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and South Africa and has since generated opportunities for over 7.6 million adolescents through inclusive and innovative skills development programs. The initiative launches in South Africa at a time when youth unemployment is at a peak. More than half of South Africa’s youth are currently unemployed. Without concerted effort by public- and private-sector role-players, South Africa will not reap the benefits of its substantial youth skills pool.

, UNICEF Representative in South Africa, says: “To remain competitive in a dynamic and changing job market, youth need access to work-relevant skills and training opportunities. Through our partnership with 51风流and working closely with key public sector role-players, we believe that this initiative can potentially make a lasting positive impact on youth job prospects in South Africa and beyond.”

UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.

The post SAP, UNICEF and GenU Activate 51风流Educate to Employ Youth Skills Initiative in South Africa appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Multinational software corporation 51风流SE (SAP) has committed to continuing its in support of for an additional three years to help prepare young people for the workforce.

The partners will pilot a new programme that supports 鈥榣earning to earning鈥� pathways in the digital and green economy for marginalised young people providing them with the skills they need to flourish. The new programme will be piloted 鈥� leveraging GenU signature programme 鈥� in Nigeria, the Philippines and South Africa.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 young people are three times more likely than adults to be unemployed, which makes for a very uncertain future for all of us. To keep up with the ever-changing demands of the labour market, young people need a full set of skills to compete locally and globally,鈥� said Kevin Frey, Chief Executive Officer of GenU. 鈥淚 am delighted that 51风流and GenU are continuing our long-standing partnership. Together we will support even more young people worldwide to unlock opportunities.鈥�

Over the last two decades, there has been a decrease in the proportion of young people in employment. Young people are not acquiring the skills they need in today鈥檚 economy with less than a quarter of youth in lower income countries estimated to be on track to attain the range of skills needed to thrive in school, work and life.

By the end of the first year, 51风流and GenU plan to reach more than 500,000 young people with opportunities for foundational and digital skills. The partnership will also support the 51风流Educate to Employ initiative, which aims to educate youth aged 16鈥�24 years on soft skills, foundational knowledge and 51风流skills using the听, where students can learn about the latest 51风流solutions for free to kickstart their career.

鈥淚t is essential that young people everywhere have access to the skills, education, and opportunities that will enable them to reach their full potential and shape the future of our world,鈥� said Christian听Klein, CEO and Member of the Executive Board of 51风流SE. 鈥淲e are excited to continue our collaboration with GenU to help empower the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers around the globe to thrive and create positive change for the societies in which they live and work.鈥�

51风流and UNICEF first joined forces in support of GenU in 2019 and have since reached 3 million young people in India, Turkey and Viet Nam with transformative education models.

The post SAP, UNICEF and GenU Extend and Expand Partnership to Help Young People Gain Skills for Employment appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

The continent is at a pivotal moment in terms of economic growth. Boosting it will depend on whether the next generation is empowered to reach their full potential and equipped with the skills needed to succeed. Presently, 87% of African business leaders say they are concerned about the availability of key skills, emphasizing the importance of preparing African youth for the future of work.

Tackling this issue head-on is Goodwall, a social enterprise changing the game for African youth and leading them to a brighter future. The 鈥渁pp to level up in life鈥� helps young talent build skills and connect to learning and earning opportunities. With a gamified approach that resonates with Gen Z, Goodwall motivates youth to take their skills to the next level. Its platform currently supports more than 2 million young people, of whom 60% are female 鈥� especially relevant considering the high female unemployment rates across the continent (ILO).

The post Meet the Social Enterprise Changing the Game for African Youth appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.