Mastercard to Push Employment in Ghana via Young Africa Works

The Mastercard Foundation — a global foundation set up by Mastercard to promote education and financial inclusion for people living in poverty, has launched Young Africa Works in Ghana. The Young Africa Works initiative will create the opportunity for three million youths in Ghana to access good employment by 2030.

The Mastercard Foundation’s initiative aligns with the government’s “An Agenda for Jobs” which aims to ‘Create Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All’. The initiative also aims to make Ghana a global entrepreneurship and technology hub.

In honour of the initiative, the Foundation has made an initial $200 million five-year commitment. This is in a bid to build a network of entrepreneurs and a youth digitized, innovative community.

Young Africa Works aligns with Mastercard Foundation’s strategy to create access for 30 million young Africans to access honourable and gratifying work. About 70% of the 30 million Africans targeted by Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works initiative will be women. The project is currently ongoing in 34 countries and the foundation aims to deepen inclusion in 10 African countries.

Reeta Roy, Mastercard Foundation President and CEO, said they are convinced that the Ghanaian youths are creative, resilient, and determined to contribute to the economic and social well-being of their country. He noted that the initiative works with the country’s economic agenda and momentum to push a change that will better livelihoods and prosperity.

The initiative will boost entrepreneurs, SMEs and key growth sectors which will in return, lead to productivity, job creation, and more employment opportunities for Ghanaian youths.