CorpsAfrica announced that its partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to develop the leadership skills of young Africans, particularly young women, has been expanded.
The five-year partnership will empower beneficiaries to fight poverty and facilitate sustainable, community-led projects that impact public health, food security, education, gender issues, the digital economy, the environment and economic development while creating work opportunities for young people across the continent.
CorpsAfrica recruits, trains, and places ambitious, college-educated, hard-working young African women and men to serve in high-poverty communities in their own countries for one year, inspired by the Peace Corps model.
The volunteers live within the communities to gain a deep understanding of the problems facing their fellow citizens and work with community members to implement sustainable solutions to improve lives, build resilience and create better economic outcomes for all.
As part of their learning process, the volunteers work with communities to help identify their needs and support them in developing community projects such as building schools, wells, and irrigation systems, helping launch small businesses and agriculture projects, tutoring in schools, training centres, and where community members identify a need for assistance.
The expanded US$59.4 million partnership will enable over 1,600 young African volunteers to serve across 11 countries on the continent and impact over 800,000 community members.
One of CorpsAfrica volunteers driving impact in their communities in Rwanda, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Christian opted to stay at his site, helping a displaced community to identify and establish the first sewing and handcrafts skills training centre.
The centre has and continues to train numerous women and girls in the Kinigi IDP model village and contributes toward reducing the number of unemployed youth and women in the community. Working with community members and adjoining towns, graduates from the center can sell their products to a ready market and earn a reliable income to support their families.
In Morocco, a young female CorpsAfrica volunteer named Oumaima helped a group of local women from the Amalou Ikkiss Cooperative, the only women’s cooperative in the Inman Valley that specializes in making carpets and pillows using knowledge and skills inherited from their elders.
The cooperative enables them to market their products collectively, earning decent incomes to support their families.
“During their ten months of service, CorpsAfrica volunteers create formal and informal jobs using a Human-Centered Design approach. They help to create a healthy environment that allows for economic prosperity and independence,” said Liz Fanning, Founder and Executive Director of CorpsAfrica. This includes training leaders and building community projects that are identified, owned, and managed by the local people. They listen and learn while living alongside community members, which gives them critical thinking and problem-solving skills, humility, and empathy. When their service is complete, they leave a legacy of innovation and change with families and communities,” a statement read.
Agents of positive change
Volunteers and the rural people with whom they live and work for a year become agents of positive, inclusive, and sustainable change in their communities and countries. Rural, high-poverty communities also become more resilient and can build sustainable livelihoods due to access to resources and new income streams stemming from the projects.
With long-standing support from founding funder the OCP Group of Morocco, the Mastercard Foundation, and from other generous supporters, CorpsAfrica has hosted almost 500 African volunteers in six countries – Morocco, Senegal, Malawi, Rwanda, Ghana, and Kenya.
With this new partnership, the organization plans to extend its program to Nigeria, Uganda, and Ethiopia this year, and to two more African countries in 2024.
“CorpsAfrica has proven its impact in rural communities and demonstrated the value of deploying a network of service-minded young Africans to solve pressing issues across the continent. Their vision aligns with our Young Africa Works strategy to enable 30 million young people, particularly young women, to access dignified and fulfilling work. We are pleased to support their growth and expansion throughout the continent,” said Chief Programmes Officer at the Mastercard Foundation, Peter Materu.
