Partnerships accelerate youth employment

7th October 2021

Partnerships accelerate youth employment

Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator provides solutions to help reduce youth unemployment

Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator supports unemployed work-seekers by building partnerships with the private sector, government and civil society. It aims to develop innovative solutions at scale, that help to break the barriers that keep young women and men locked out of opportunity.

The not-for-profit social enterprise has a track record of working with over 600 private sector organisations, government, civil society and research and technology partners. The organisation has helped youth find over 240 000 jobs and work experiences, while supporting a growing network of 1.5-million young people.

Harambee has partnered with SAYouth.mobi to implement the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, which is a coordinated national plan of action to tackle youth unemployment in South Africa.

SA Youth is a zero-rated multi-channel platform which allows employers to load opportunities and engage with applicants, providing a national network for young people to access learning and earning opportunities.

The platform can be accessed by means of a zero rated, data-free mobi-site, SAYouth.mobi.

Founded in 2011, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator celebrates its first decade of existence and asserts that it remains firmly committed to the global challenge of reducing youth unemployment.

"Harambee’s reach has never been stronger, as we saw in celebrating our tenth anniversary this year with partners across government, the private sector and civil society,” says Harambee board chair Tandi Nzimande.

The organisation has recently announced the appointment of Group FD Kasthuri Soni as its next chief executive officer. Soni was part of the team that incubated the organisation and one of Harambee's founding employees.

“This CEO transition is a thoughtful and deliberate succession plan that positions Harambee for even greater impact in the future than it has had in the past,” says Nzimande.