Words by Smiley Team
Global finance firm Mastercard has pledged to transform the lives of young people in Uganda through a $200m investment in jobs, training and education.
The Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works programme has committed to enabling more than three million young people in Uganda to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities by 2030.
Young Africa Works in Uganda focuses on three economic sectors; agriculture, tourism and hospitality and construction and housing, and the project is working with a range of partners to achieve its goals.
One of those is the Mehiel Foundation, a small charity based in Oxfordshire in the UK. Founded in 2010, Mehiel has undertaken 31 projects in 11 countries around the world with the primary aim of tackling the underlying causes of poverty and social injustice, in order to deliver lasting change in the lives of poor and vulnerable people.
Their work in Uganda has involved partnering with Celedi, a local nonprofit, to open a vocational school for girls in the Wakiso district.
The school will focus on equipping young women with skills in baking, tailoring, hairdressing, cosmetics and computing, in order to help them access careers in these areas and become financially independent.
Commenting on the launch of the Young Africa Works Uganda programme Mastercard Foundation President and CEO Reeta Roy said: “We have formed partnerships with a number of organizations and together, if we are successful, they already represent 30 percent of the goal of having three million people in dignified and fulfilling work.
“What’s special is how our partners have come together to intentionally collaborate and leverage each other’s strengths.”
The Mastercard Foundation has also supported the Covid-19 relief effort in Uganda and last year committed around $23.7 million to its COVID-19 response there, with the goal of mitigating the adverse effects of the pandemic on businesses, the education sector and on communities, while strengthening the country’s public health system and response.
To find out more visit the Mastercard Foundation website or follow them on Twitter.
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