Change Has a Ripple Effect – DOT

Over the next several years, the “Going Beyond – Partnering for a Youth-Led Future” project, a collaboration between Digital Opportunity Trust and the Mastercard Foundation, will equip 300,000 young Africans with the skills and mindset they need to thrive as entrepreneurs in a digital world. 

But that kind of generation-altering transformation does not happen overnight. It starts with a single act. In this case, the first ripple in our wave was to partner with six inaugural, and remarkable youth-led and youth-serving organizations in Malawi and Tanzania. These organizations then recruited Going Beyond’s first cohort of young women and men, and trained them as Youth Leaders to impart critical technology and business skills to their peers. 

The Youth Leaders are then embedded in their communities to create the next, bigger wave of the ripple, here’s a look at what they’ve seen and learned along the way. 

Partnership is a leap of faith: With Going Beyond, DOT is applying more than two decades of experience in training young people around the world in digital business skills. Our partner organizations, meanwhile, arrived at the table with their own track records of creating change for young people in their communities. Working together demanded each party adapt the way they worked, which required both trust and courage. DOT worked alongside the partners to strengthen their organizational capacities, and then both groups  teamed up to adapt DOT’s digital business curricula to their local realities. For both groups, the payoff was significant. “One plus one is not equal to two – one plus one is equal to three,” explains Neema Walter, co-founder of Sheria Kiganjani, a partner organization in Tanzania. “When you and I both bring our ideas, it creates new ideas that are much richer than what any of us started with.”

There is no shortage of passion for change among Africa’s youth: Over the last few months, each of the six Going Beyond partner organizations recruited 20-30 recent graduates to become the program’s first of many cohorts of digital business facilitators. This process was met with great excitement, with some organizations receiving as many as 1000 applications. “Most of them were very qualified, so it was an incredibly hard decision,” says Elijah Lumbani Mkandawire, CEO of mHub, a partner organization in Malawi. “The number of applications speaks to the appetite that young people here have to make change in their communities.” The deep pool of applicants also allowed each organization to recruit young people ready to live up to the project’s name. “We chose youths who are problem solvers, capable of going beyond the challenges they face,” Neema Walter explains.

At the same time, our partners saw that inclusion doesn’t happen without intention: At the end of the selection process, each organization had assembled a remarkable cohort of Youth Leaders from diverse backgrounds, ranging from trained social workers to activists for youth with disabilities to the owner of a small bakery specializing in cinnamon rolls. But none of that happened by default. Organizations had to make deliberate efforts to seek out Youth Leaders who would reflect back the diversity of their communities. For instance, Hakizetu, a partner organization in Tanzania, said they were at first concerned by how few applications they received from young women. But instead of throwing up their hands, they went to work. They visited women’s groups at local universities and pitched the project, and created new posters that showed women leading the trainings. “Sometimes women are scared, they just don’t feel they can do it,” explains Lydia Ibrahim, the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at Hakizetu. By the end of the recruitment process, Hakizetu had more applications from women than men!  

Similarly, Songambele, an organization that works with young people with disabilities in Tanzania, made a point of recruiting Youth Leaders who were themselves living with a disability. “What excites us most is to see youth with disabilities getting the opportunity to be the change agents for their communities, because a lot of Tanzanian society still sees them as incapable of doing anything,” explains Happiness Manjuu, Program Officer at Songambele. This deliberate effort at inclusion allowed the Youth Leaders to also view their backgrounds as a source of strength.  “When I teach my peers, I am going to start with my personal story,” says Murshid Kinje, a Youth Leader in Tanzania. “Each of us has our own story.”

Knowledge flows in every direction: After they were selected, the Youth Leaders came together for a ten-day training hosted by the organization that had selected them. The goal of those two weeks was to prepare them to facilitate their own trainings on digital business skills for young people in their communities. Many participants remarked on the practicality of the skills they learned, which set the program apart from much of the traditional classroom learning they had received in the past. “Traditional education often falls short of creating the skills people need to thrive in the real world,” explains John Shayo, a Youth Leader from Tanzania. Also unique in the program’s approach was the idea that everyone in a classroom – from the facilitator of the session to the participants – has valuable expertise to share. “One highlight for me was the idea that when you’re working with youth, you’re going to learn together, unlearn together, and relearn together,” explains Generose Oscar, a Youth Leader from Tanzania. “I look forward to learning from them too.” 

Making waves: In August, the first cohort of more than 120 Youth Leaders finished their training and were deployed to their communities. Over the next six months, they will lead a series of six-week facilitation sessions on digital business skills for local young entrepreneurs. Youth Leaders expect these training sessions to be life-altering for many participants. “It’s something many of us take for granted, but when people learn to use a computer or smartphone for the first time, there’s a certain glow that comes over their faces,” explains Banji Sinoya, a Youth Leader in Malawi. “They begin to understand how much is out there that they didn’t know before.” That, in turn, could turn their lives in a new direction. “I am excited to get to know everyone and be part of their story of success,” says Nyanzobe Makwaia, a Youth Leader in Tanzania. “I love to leave my footprints in someone else’s life.” 

You can join the journey: At every stage of Going Beyond, the project’s impact multiplies. “DOT has engaged us, the youth-led organizations, and then we are engaging the Youth Leaders and they are engaging their peers,” explains Elijah Lumbani Mkandawire, CEO of mHub in Malawi. “At every level, more and more young people’s lives are being changed.” You can be a part of this movement by investing in the future of Africa’s young people, partnering with DOT to expand the organization’s impact, or simply sharing the stories of these dynamic African changemakers to inspire others. Every action contributes to transforming the future of the continent’s young people. Together, we are going beyond!

Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders, with Skills Today: Youth-Led Impact – DOT

July 19, 2024 —In a world fraught with challenges, youth stand as beacons of hope, wielding the power to shape tomorrow’s landscape. In this landscape, skills are key and collaboration is a must. 

Recognizing the value of collaboration, Catalyst 2030 and its members are changing systems at all levels through collective action and bold new strategies. 

Catalyst 2030 is a fast-growing global movement of people and organizations committed to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) by 2030.  At the heart of this movement was a profound understanding that the actions we take today reverberate far into the future, and it is through empowering the next generation that we pave the path to a brighter tomorrow.

A must-attend event in the global landscape of conveyings of social innovators, Catalyzing Change Week Catalysing Change Week (CCW), an annual flagship program of Catalyst 2030 serves as a testament to this potential, rallying thousands of system catalysts from diverse backgrounds to converge on a singular mission fostering transformative change globally through  collaborative action. 

From May 6th to 10th, Catalysing Change Week (CCW) 2024, was dedicated to Building the Social Innovation Sector through action-oriented and interactive sessions designed to stimulate systems change and foster collaboration among participants

As a very active and committed member of Catalyst 2030DOT has engaged in Catalysing Change Week since its inception. Year after year, championing youth voices and youth leadership in achieving the SDGs and community resilience efforts to create impact that ripples across the planet through social entrepreneurship, DOT led a session on the future of Youth Leadership organized and conducted by DOT’s Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board members on May 9th, 2024.

Youth Leadership: Building Future, Creating Impact Today:

The session, titled “Youth Leadership: Building Future, Creating Impact Today,” attracted over 50+ young participants online. The panel discussion, facilitated by DOT’s Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board members , explored various aspects of youth engagement in shaping the future of leadership and creating impact.

The session featured a panel of remarkable individuals, each offering a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing youth leaders today:

Angelika Sharygina, brought  digital transformation and a safe and inclusive digital economy into the cross-cutting topic of youth leadership. She illuminated the hurdles posed by rapid digital transformation, urging youth to champion digital literacy, critical thinking, and responsible online behavior. Her call for collaboration and proactive measures resonated deeply in a world increasingly besieged by misinformation and cyber threats. “Young people are in a prime position to leverage digital technologies for good. we need to empower them so that they can bring change to their communities”. 

Jean-Désiré Kouassi, emphasized 5 pillars that ecosystem actors should put into practice to uphold supportive environments for youth engagement and leadership; Simply listening to young voices is not enough; we must listen and empower. Beyond soliciting their input, we must provide young people with the platform and resources to implement their ideas. Integrating youth perspectives into policy-making processes is paramount for inclusive governance.Young people deserve environments where they can freely express themselves without fear of judgment. We must Create Safe Spaces for Sharing Ideas. Recognizing and Celebrating the achievements of young leaders not only acknowledges their contributions but also inspires others to follow suit. Building sustainable structures that go beyond just one generation for long-term engagement is essential for fostering continuity and progress. By mentoring and passing on leadership roles, we make sure that young leaders can keep making a difference. In following these five pillars, we can create a welcoming environment where young leaders can truly make a difference in changing the world. When we view young people as valuable partners in decision-making, we lay the foundation for a future where their ideas shape policies and drive positive changes globally. Let’s all commit to harnessing the immense potential of young people and working together to create a more sustainable world for the future.

Caroline Mohoni, drew attention to two major challenges that youth face when interacting with the digital space. The first challenge is digital distraction. Citing an article published by “Common Sense Media”, young people spend an average of 9 hours per day on social media and entertainment platforms. Without proper awareness of how to use the digital space and social media, they may be harmed if they are not properly informed about using it for positive and beneficial activities. To address this challenge, provide youth with awareness on how to use the digital space properly. Give them tools and resources for staying safe online.aware of everything that happens there. A second challenge is the limited availability of resources for youth. These resources encompass financial resources, knowledge, networking, and technology. Referencing an article published by the World Bank, which states that 22% of the global youth population live on less than 1.2 US dollars and supported by an article from the International Labour Organization (ILO), youth constitute the largest population of unemployed individuals. The  scarcity of available resources for youth to secure employment or create their own opportunities are significant challenges being faced by young people. To tackle this issue, advocacy for youth empowerment should be prioritized. Additionally, engaging in activities such as volunteering and participating in the gig economy can provide the youth with valuable experiences and opportunities for growth.

Mable Chileshe shared her story of r co-founding “Amplifying Her in STEM,” in 2021, an initiative focused on promoting girls in STEM education, positioned her to respond to the question: What role does technology play in education and empowering young people? There are two key factors to consider: education and youth empowerment. When it comes to education, there are two categories: formal and informal. Formal education encompasses what we learn during high school and tertiary education. Technology can be effectively utilized for research, discovering opportunities, and expanding our knowledge beyond the classroom. Informal education, on the other hand, refers to youth development and empowerment. Mable emphasized that although African youth are passionate and prepared, limited access to resources and global opportunities continues to be a hindrance, but technology can be s a tool and a game-changer in achieving our goals and shaping our future, regardless of our chosen careers.

Feedback and Reflections:

The session’s impact extended beyond the confines of its duration, resonating deeply with participants who lauded its interactive nature and inspirational content. Event attendees found the event inspiring and appreciated the opportunity to connect with other young people. Through Mentimeter polls, attendees voiced their intentions, shared challenges, and reflected on their learnings, underscoring the session’s role as a catalyst for meaningful connections and personal growth.

World Youth Skills Day:

In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. 

This year, alongside World Youth Skills Day, DOT’s Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board, an innovative team of 10 young leaders, who provide strategic advice to shape DOT’s direction and ensure youth voices are represented, reflects on the power of youth leadership, and the creativity, boldness and energy of their peers. 

“Empowering youth with critical thinking and effective communication skills is essential for nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. These skills enable young leaders to navigate complex challenges and inspire positive change in their communities.” 

– Jean-Désiré Kouassi


“Digital literacy and technological proficiency equip youth leaders to leverage innovation and drive positive change in the digital era.” 

Caroline Mohoni

Conclusion:

As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, DOT recognizes the importance of addressing the key challenges faced by youth in the future of leadership: job unemployment, lack of access to finance, lack of access to experience, lack of access to digital literacy skills, lack of access to infrastructure, and lack of access to digital gadgets. We are excited to tackle these key challenges alongside our Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board (GYLAB), giving them a seat at our table for their leadership and guidance and emphasizing the realities, needs, and opportunities for young people to acquire digital literacy, job opportunities, work experience, and financial resources.

Together, we are committed to empowering a generation of bold, compassionate, and visionary leaders. By doing so, we ensure a world where every voice is heard, every challenge is met with courage, and every dream is within reach.

Read more about the GYLAB members: GYLAB Team 

For more information about the Global Youth Leadership Advisory Board, please contact:

Ann Nderitu, Youth Engagement Manager

[email protected] or [email protected]


 

About Digital Opportunity Trust

DOT is a Canadian-based not-for-profit organization headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with locally managed offices in the UK and across 6 countries in Africa and the Middle East: Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Lebanon and Jordan. DOT extends its reach to Ghana, Uganda, Côte D’Ivoire, Malawi, and Zambia through local partnerships with youth-led and youth-serving organizations. DOT’s unique youth-led model has created an impact in over 25 countries, mobilizing and inspiring all underserved and disadvantaged young people with digital literacy, 21st-century skills, and the self-confidence that will enable them to thrive in an inclusive digital economy.

For more information, please visit www.dotrust.org

 

DOT | Digital Opportunity Trust

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Happy partners pinting up as a sign of Going Beyond Partners Annoncement_ Group Photo _DOT x _The Mastercard Foundation

Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) and the Mastercard Foundation are proud to reveal the six new partner organizations named to the “Going Beyond – Partnering for a Youth-Led Future” project. As the first partners, Hakizetu, Her Initiative, MHub, Mzuzu eHub, Sheria Kiganjani and Songambele will expand the reach and impact of the Going Beyond project in Africa.

Over the next several years, DOT will work with youth-serving organizations in four African countries to train 300,000 young people in technology and business skills critical to their livelihoods. The partner organizations in Malawi and Tanzania that were announced Friday have established operations in these countries and have already impacted tens of thousands of individuals to date.

Each of these organizations shares the core mission of Going Beyond, which is to help young people in Africa access dignified jobs and live purposeful lives by equipping them with 21st century skills for entrepreneurship and employment. Two of these organizations – Sheria Kiganjani and Hakizetu – focus specifically on the economic and social empowerment of young women, and one – Songambele – works to create economically independent lives for young people with disabilities. These organizations will help Going Beyond reach a diverse range of participants, scaling up the possible impact of the program and ensuring that no young person is left behind because of circumstances or stereotypes. 

“These first partner organizations are setting the tone for the skill, enthusiasm, and passion for change that we want to see in all the organizations we partner with. Together, we are co-creating a new future for young people in Africa,” says Violette Uwamutara, DOT’s Vice President, Sub-Saharan Africa. 

“It is like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle snapping together,” says Elijah Lumbani Mkandawire, the CEO of MHub, a tech hub and entrepreneurship support organization in Malawi that is among the first partners. “What DOT and the Mastercard Foundation are doing goes straight to the heart of our own work.” 

The partners are already leaders in transforming the lives of African youth through technological and entrepreneurial skills, ensuring that everyone is included and has the opportunity to learn and thrive.

“People with disabilities are often left out of technology-related projects because there are stereotypes that say we don’t need or want these skills,” says Faustina Urassa, the Founder and Executive Director of Songambele, a partner organization that provides health and wellness services to young people with disabilities in Tanzania, and promotes their social and economic inclusion.  “With this project, we are going to show the true meaning of equality and inclusion.”  

The partners’ existing skills, and visions, are essential to Going Beyond, which seeks to go beyond conventional models for development work that engage external expertise over local knowledge and creativity, and instead empower young people to lead their own – and their community’s development. That is why the partner organizations have co-designed the project’s curriculum, and determined how Going Beyond will be carried out in their countries.

“The entire project is collaborative, it’s inclusive, it’s a discussion,” says Lydia Charles, Founder and Executive of Her Initiative. “That’s a beautiful and unique experience.” 

As part of this partnership, the organizations in Malawi and Tanzania will also receive technical support and resources to improve their own operations. 

“It’s very rare to see a funder this passionate about leaving the organization better off than it found them,” says Wangiwe Joanna Kambuzi, the Managing Director and Founder of Mzuzu eHub. 

Going-Beyond-Partners-Annoncement-_DOT-x-_The-Mastercard-Foundation_Group-Photo-on-Stage

This, in turn, points to Going Beyond’s strategy to outlive itself and sustain its impact. The project will foster communities where young people have the skills to build enriching, financially independent lives over the long term. It will also create an ecosystem of ambitious youth-led and youth-serving organizations that will continue to serve their communities for decades to come. 

“Our goal is for the project to live forever in the hearts of the people, and our hearts as an organization,” says Lydia James Ibrahim, the M&E Manager at Hakizetu, a partner organization in Tanzania focused on economically empowering women and girls and promoting their sexual and reproductive health rights. 

“I see us leaving behind a huge mindset shift in our communities,” adds Neema Magimba, Co-founder of Sheria Kiganjani, which connects low-income Tanzanians to legal services via a mobile app. 

For DOT, these partnerships mark a transformation in the organization’s history of building the entrepreneurial and digital skills of young people. In subsequent years, Going Beyond will welcome 14 additional partner organizations in Malawi and Tanzania, as well as 20 organizations in Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire. 

The six Going Beyond Partner organizations announced include:

  • Hakizetu (Tanzania), an organization focused on economically empowering women and girls and promoting their sexual and reproductive health rights. 
  • Her Initiative (Tanzania), an organization dedicated to fostering economic empowerment for women and girls through technology. 
  • MHub (Malawi), a technology hub and business support organization working closely with young people.
  • Mzuzu eHub (Malawi), an organization promoting youth business development in Malawi through incubation, investment support, digital skills training, and other support services. 
  • Sheria Kiganjani (Tanzania), a youth-focused organization using digital tools to connect low- and middle-income Tanzanians to legal services. 
  • Songambele (Tanzania), an organization working for the rights and economic empowerment of women and girls with disabilities. 

Read more about the Going Beyond Project, Partnering for Youth-led Future.

DOT and the Cisco Foundation Announce a Partnership to Develop a Youth-led Response to the Global Climate Challenge – DOT

DOT and the Cisco Foundation announce a partnership to develop a youth-led response to the global climate challenge

Responding to the calls to action from youth within DOT’s network across Africa and the Middle East – young people who are living through some of the worst impacts of the climate emergency – Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) today announces a new area of focus that leverages its proven, impact driven, youth-led model in response to the climate crisis. With support from the Cisco Foundation, young women and men will develop solutions that leverage digital tools, the creativity of young people and the power of DOT’s network of young leaders to increase community awareness and resilience to the local shocks and stresses caused by climate change.

The initial project will establish a foundation for solutions that can demonstrate, motivate and mobilize thousands of other young leaders of change and millions of citizens to take action that contributes to climate resilience in their own communities.

The ‘Youth-led Community Climate Awareness and Action’ project embraces the principles of digital inclusion, women’s empowerment and the belief in young people as leaders of change. DOT and Cisco believe that communities can experience an inclusive green transition when young people are empowered with the skills, tools and technology to lead in their communities. 

Over the next 12 months, DOT will consult with climate experts, co-design and digitize programmatic interventions with youth, run community-based pilots to test and verify a youth-led climate program and toolkit for dissemination in 2024. 

Building on a legacy of youth-led community development

The Youth-led Community Climate Awareness and Action project will be realized through DOT’s youth-led model, a unique model which mobilizes a movement of local youth, and empowers them with the skills, tools, and knowledge to lead community transformation. With over 20 years of proven impact, the model has reached 3 million community members.  

Deeply interconnected with livelihoods, human rights and inclusion, climate change is creating serious impacts to other global challenges. Young people, particularly young women, are incredibly vulnerable to climate change impacts. With the support of the Cisco Foundation, the project is rooted in the voices and lived realities of young people as witnessed in the DOT network. Addressing climate change is both an opportunity and a prerequisite for youth to thrive in an inclusive digital economy – DOT and Cisco will lead the way. 

DOT Founder and CEO, Janet Longmore, says: “At the heart of DOT’s mission, is the belief that young people — equipped with the knowledge, skills and the support and trust of the international development ecosystem — will apply their energy, creativity and impatience to lead community-based grassroots climate response at an incredible pace and scale. DOT has proven that one young person mobilized through skills, confidence and a network of support, working alongside governments, the private sector, civil society and their communities, can reach hundreds of others, increasing the collective resilience to local climate change shocks and stresses”.

She adds: “By creating a movement of digitally-savvy youth with the skills, confidence and attitudes to transform their communities, DOT has been working for 21 years to advance digital inclusion. This is why we are committed to extending our youth-led model to address the climate crisis. The model positions young women and men as climate champions who will build climate awareness among their peers and citizens, advocate for climate action, and innovate in the green economy. We are starting in Tanzania and Lebanon and we intend to scale to other countries in the Middle East and Africa”. 

A long-term partnership with the Cisco Foundation

DOT and Cisco have a long history collaboration. Starting 21 years ago, when the Cisco Foundation supported the initial development and implementation of the youth-led model, through the present day, the organizations have worked together in the Middle East, Africa, the USA, China and Mexico – driven by a shared belief in the potential of young people and the power of technology to lead responsible change.

Peter Tavernise, Climate Impact and Regeneration Portfolio lead of the Cisco Foundation, notes: “An effective response to climate change, and the reinforcing of climate action and resilience in all communities requires the efforts of everyone. We have always valued DOT’s channels to youth and the organization’s ability to engage young people as respected leaders who bring the creativity, concerns and the voices of youth to the table.”

Extending the hand, and power, of partnership, we welcome others with shared beliefs to join us in the Youth-Led Community Climate Awareness and Action initiative.