Integrated Digital Youth Activity: Instant Network Schools
Summary
In 2024, Vodafone Foundation committed to substantially enhancing digital infrastructure, expanding educational access, and fostering innovation and employment across Ethiopia over two years. In partnership with the AMREF and USAID-funded Kefeta program that provides critical “one-stop shop” services enhancing livelihoods of Ethiopian youth, the project will provide comprehensive services including health care, skills training, and jobs training and placement for 84,000 young persons – including 5,000 internally displaced persons and 4,800 persons with disabilities– across 18 cities through a tech hubs model. The project will boost employability and actual employment in the tech/IT sector for participating youth resulting in 2,800 jobs, improving their overall livelihoods, and driving socioeconomic growth nationally.
Approach
Vodafone Foundation will leverage its funding, technology assets, employee volunteering scheme, and 10-year experience running the INS programme in six African countries to drive technical implementation of this commitment that will directly impact 84,000 Ethiopian youth –including 5,000 IDPs and 4,800 persons with disabilities–over a two year period. Amref will use its in-depth knowledge of Ethiopian society and its network of youth-led organizations to lead the delivery and measure impact. Safaricom Ethiopia will provide in-country connectivity, and job placement opportunities.
The Commitment focuses on five key pillars:
Tech Infrastructure Improvement: Enhancing digital infrastructure at Kefeta-affiliated centers, including youth centers, university career development centers, and TVET colleges. Many centers currently lack essential digital tools, reliable power (solar-based solutions will be procured) , or internet access.
Education Access for Displaced Populations: Using technology to improve primary and secondary education for internally displaced persons (IDPs) . With 4.5m Ethiopians displaced by conflict and climate-induced disasters (Dec 2023) , access to education is crucial for reducing vulnerability and providing stability.
Expanded Service Reach: Digitizing Kefeta’s integrated services (digital literacy, life skills, entrepreneurship training) . Partners will create self-paced, interactive learning materials and distribute through a zero-rated online platform accessible at no cost via Safaricom Ethiopia’s network. They will also secure access to top industry courses (AWS, soft skills, Cisco, etc.) .
Digital Incubation Hubs: Establishing hubs to foster innovation and self-employment in the digital economy. These hubs will function like tech start-up incubators, offering youth the opportunity to test business ideas and receive expert mentorship.
Youth Employability: Promoting digital literacy and innovation, offering internships and job placements in leading tech and IT companies, starting with 360 opportunities at Safaricom Ethiopia and totaling approximately 2,800 jobs in all. Vodafone Foundation, Safaricom Ethiopia, and Amref will leverage their corporate networks to secure additional livelihood opportunities from tech companies operating in Ethiopia.
This partnership aims to cultivate a digitally savvy, innovative generation and significantly enhance youth empowerment and socio-economic development in Ethiopia.
Action Plan
Programme implementation will start in September 2024 with youth consultations and further technical assessment. Additionally, key deliverables over the course of the Commitment will include:
2024 Quarter 3 through 2025 Quarter 1: Deployment of up to 10 INS centers in selected Kefeta youth centers by the end of March 2024.
2024 Quarter 3 through 2025 Quarter 3: In parallel, Amref and Vodafone Foundation will focus of the provisioning of assistive devices (to cater for special need youth) and the creation of 2 innovation hubs with the goal of providing a conducive environment for youth to develop, test and iterate on their business ideas and concepts in a safe environment, supported by subject-matter experts, to be launched by September 2025.
2024 Quarter 3 through 2025 Quarter 2: Work around training content digitalisation and the development of primary / secondary level educational materials for IDPs will also be initiated by September 2024 with the first modules being released in March 2025 (across 6 languages) . The content will be distributed through the Kefeta youth centers and via an online platform which will be zero-rated by Safaricom Ethiopia.
2025 Quarter 1 through 2026 Quarter 1: Final workstream will foster youth employability in the digital sector.
Background
UNESCO’s latest report estimates that out-of-school children and educational gaps will cost $10 trillion annually by 2030. In this context, education should be perceived as a strategic investment for individuals, economies, and society.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country with 126.5 million people, has 40 million individuals aged 15-29. However, secondary and tertiary education completion rates are low (29% and 13.3% respectively, compared to 76% and 30% globally) . Graduates often lack the skills to navigate the labor market, leading to 1 in 4 youth being unemployed.
To address these challenges, USAID Ethiopia has promoted Integrated Youth Activities (IYA) . Since August 2021, USAID Ethiopia has committed $60 million over five years to the Kefeta program, implemented by Amref Health Africa. Amref and its partners currently work across 18 cities to impact over 2 million youth. The Kefeta project offers a “one-stop-shop” for Ethiopian youth to access health and family planning services, capacity building and professional development training, employment and entrepreneurship linkages, financial and mentoring support, and opportunities for civic engagement. This initiative empowers youth to become agents of social change, create new livelihood opportunities, and promote resilience and peacebuilding.
The existing Kefeta programming is based on traditional low-tech community engagement and services. Recognizing the potential of digital solutions, the USAID/Amref/Vodafone Foundation/Safaricom Ethiopia partnership will seek to explore how digital infrastructure and tools can amplify and broaden the impact of the Kefeta program. Also delivering on Ethiopian Youth’s desire for better skills, knowledge, and resources to thrive in the digital age.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
Vodafone Foundation, USAID Ethiopia, Amref and Safaricom Ethiopia are seeking:
Tech and IT companies with a commercial presence in Ethiopia to join our effort in providing qualified youth with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Corporate partners would commit to offering internships, scholarships, or job placements to participants in the Kefeta program. Kefeta has already established a successful network of 48 corporate partners across various sectors, creating over 7,500 job opportunities.
Additional financial resources to scale the Kefeta digital initiative beyond its current scope. We aim to expand from 11 centers to the entire Kefeta network of 91 centers, enhancing our impact and reach., Best Practices: How to use tech and digital in low-resource context
Financial Resources: USD 1.8M over the programme period
Topic Expertise: Connected Education and how to use technology to amplify existing reach and impact