The One Africa Award has concluded plans to incentivise African organisations dedicated to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing the world with a blueprint to building a resilient Africa by generating opportunities and roadmaps that will assist to reshape the continent’s economy.
The One Africa Award further reiterated the need to incentivise Africa organisations that are resilient to reshape the continent’s economy despite the aftershocks and rapid consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing a platform to showcase the exceptional works of dedicated African organisations founded by Africans in Africa.
The organisation said the move was inspired by #JobsNowAfrica Campaign which advocates creation of 15 million decent jobs annually in Africa by 2025, while reiterating that the award will be conferred to any organisation that provides opportunities for young Africans to gain the skills and experience needed, through excellent job and educational opportunities that raise their aspirations and professional networks.
In a statement sent to LEADERSHIP, the global organisation hinted that before the pandemic outbreak, the lack of decent jobs and opportunities was already a pressing issue in Africa while it said the socio-economic ramifications of COVID-19 effects on young people in the continent was rapidly too harsh.
According to the statement, young Africans are confronted with various aftershocks, including disruptions to education, lack of access to training and income losses due to economic pressures and are presented with even greater difficulties in finding good quality jobs.
Speaking on the development, interim Africa Executive Director at the ONE Campaign, Serah Makka, said: “Africa is demographically the world’s youngest continent. By 2030, one fifth of the global labour force – and nearly one third of the global youth labor force – will be from this region. While 10 to 12 million youth enter the workforce each year, only 3 million formal jobs are created.”
According to her, the pandemic has exerted extraordinary social, economic and health challenges on African countries and has exacerbated the social inequalities impacting the most vulnerable.
She pointed out that the $100,000 will focus on African ingenuity while stressing that the award will be given to a visionary organisation committed to rebuilding a resilient Africa by generating opportunities that will assist in reshaping the continent’s economy and prepares its youth to thrive in an evolving world.
The call for applications will run from September 2 to 30, 2022. The organisation said Africa-led and Africa-driven organisations have the opportunity to submit their applications for consideration.
“ONE Africa is a global movement campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030 so that everyone, everywhere can lead a life of dignity and opportunity. We are nonpartisan, we pressure governments to do more to fight extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, and empower citizens to hold their governments to account,” it added.
