Browsing: Mastercard Foundation

• Africa’s urban population is poised to hit almost one billion in 2035.
• This population explosion poses both threats and opportunities.
• Population growth will grow more dynamic and wealthier consumer markets.

The ongoing population explosion in Africa poses both opportunities for economic growth and threats that could dampen the hopes for billions of people. According to the latest surveys, the African continent is expected to record one of the fastest rates of population growth worldwide.

For instance, insights from the Economist Intelligence Unit’s African Cities 2035 report states, “African cities will record rapid urbanization in the next decade, creating a mixed bag of socio-economic opportunities and challenges.”

“Africa has and will continue to have the fastest rate of urbanization of the world’s major regions through 2035. Africa’s urban population will rise from about 650 million in 2023 to almost one billion in 2035,” reads the report in part.

According to …

• Kenya’s education sector is set to receive nearly $32 million of investment from the United States to support new partnerships between the two countries.
• part of the investment, $850,000, will go towards supporting the Ed-tech Africa initiative
• The funding includes a new $24.5 million early-grade literacy program.
• USAID Counselor Clinton White signed the deal alongside Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Mudavadi.

STEM education is a teaching approach that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics related fields. Kenya’s education sector is set to receive nearly $32 million of investment from the United States to support new partnerships between the two countries. This is to drive innovation, research, and job growth in the country’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related fields.

The funding announcement was made during the strategic partnership signing event in Atlanta, USA, during President William Ruto’s four-day US visit.

The US expects the deal signed on Tuesday to …

A consortium of organizations led by Equity Group has signed a strategic partnership to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Kenya by 2030.

The partners include Equity Group Foundation together with the United Nations system in Kenya, and its SDG Partnership Platform.

In a statement, Equity Group said the strengthened partnership will promote and catalyze investments in the SDGs beyond short-term cycles, enabling the UN system in Kenya to reach more people on the ground through Equity’s strong brand in the community, its infrastructure network, development expertise and local knowledge.

Additionally, the partnership will promote social and financial inclusion improving economic outcomes for human development and contributing to the socio-economic transformation of Kenya.

The coming together of the two institutions is expected to support Kenya’s transition as an emerging Middle-Income country through harnessing innovative partnerships, investments, and financing to accelerate the SDGs for poverty alleviation, and …

The Mastercard Foundation unveiled a Young Africa Works in Uganda that will enable more than three million youths to access dignified job opportunities by 2030.

Under this strategy, the Mastercard Foundation has committed $200 million to ensure young men, women and refugees in Uganda have access to economic opportunities.

Speaking during the launch of the 10- year strategy, Mastercard Foundation President and CEO, Reeta Roy said that the strategy will support agri-food systems and agribusinesses through the commercialisation of agriculture as well as strengthen the growing tourism and hospitality sector.

“We have formed partnerships with a number of organisations and together, if we are successful, they already represent 30 per cent of the goal of having 30 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,” she said.

In Uganda, youth account for nearly 82 …

Mastercard Foundation plans to help Ethiopia government create over 10 million jobs for the young generation over the coming ten years.

This follows the Mastercard Foundation launch of Young Africa Works in Ethiopia a $300 million initiative which aims at creating employment opportunities for the youth in partnership with Ethiopia’s Jobs Creation Commission (JCC).

The Young Africa Works in Ethiopia is aligned with the Ethiopian government’s plan to create new jobs to spur economic growth. The initiative was designed in partnership with the government, the private sector, academic institutions and young people.

Mastercard Foundation will work with JCC to create programs to speed up growth in the tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and ICT sectors. The programs will support small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs in achieving greater productivity and expand income-generating opportunities.

“Ethiopia’s prosperity will be achieved when we individually achieve our full potential first. Creating jobs for all, particularly, youth …

KCB Bank Kenya has launched a Ksh300 million (US$2.9 million) poultry farmer empowerment project in Makueni County, in its latest move to support agribusiness in Kenya.

This will see over 1,000 poultry farmers in Kibwezi benefit from credit facilities, capital, vaccinated insured chicks, chicken feed and vaccines.

The project will be offered under KCB MobiGrow, a mobile-based platform which provides financial and non-financial services to smallholder farmers in Kenya and Rwanda.

Under the project dubbed, ‘From Chick to Market’, poultry farmers will access various tailor-made MobiGrow services.

Upon maturity, the chicken will be bought at a pre-contracted price by KCB market partners, guaranteeing farmers of a ready market.

Proceeds from the sales will then be remitted to farmers through their KCB MobiGrow accounts to ensure the recovery of loan amounts.

“We are committed to growing agribusiness in the country. We continue to accelerate access to financial services which is in …

The venture is keen to achieve food security, income generation, healthy living and environmental awareness

It is early morning in the outskirts of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. A group of three young people are working in a field, using hoes to remove plastic bags and other solid waste from the soil in preparation for crop planting.

Together with other youth, they are raising seedbeds of vegetables such as kale, cabbage, spinach, carrots, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and other commonly consumed vegetables in Kenya.

The seedlings will later be transferred to gardens and irrigated for several weeks before the vegetables are supplied to clients in households and restaurants within Nairobi.

The trio are Mastercard Foundation Scholars, selected for their academic talent, social consciousness, and leadership qualities.

Mutoni Shadadi  from Rwanda, and her colleagues Laetitia Mukungu and JacquilineMaina, from Kenya, are pursuing their studies in agricultural sciences at EARTH University in Costa Rica.…