NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

In June and July of this year, an African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) technical review committee approved eight project proposals to receive funding in an important milestone for its Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy. Approved proposals will receive grant funding of more than $7.3 million to operationalize their activities, creating several new enterprises and an estimated 20,000 jobs for youth across the continent.

Several of the approved proposals were submitted in response to a call from the Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department (AHHD) through the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund (https://bit.ly/3gw7LvF)  late last year. Bank offices, complexes  and departments from across regional member countries submitted nearly 24 proposals for committee review.

Themes submitted included capacity building for entrepreneurs, climate change, gender, affordable housing, food security, migration and textiles, with the common thread of creating decent jobs for young women and men.

Photo courtesy of Arne Hoel / World Bank.