Empowering youth in Africa with skills for dignified livelihoods and employment doesn't just support them to improve their personal prospects – it can also trigger positive ripple effects throughout their communities. Prossy and Ivan from Uganda are among the many young people translating practical skills learned through Educate!’s livelihood bootcamp into impact.

Educate!’s core experience centers the critical soft skills we see as building blocks for long-term success. On top of that foundation, we layer the entrepreneurial skills youth in East Africa need to thrive in their largely informal local economies. Ugandan Educate! graduate, Ronnie, is leveraging this combination to drive the success of his small enterprise while also giving back to the community.

Through participation in the Educate! Experience, Peace was motivated to become a leader in her school and beyond - building confidence and becoming a fierce advocate for gender equity. We know that educated and empowered girls, like Peace, create more equitable societies. From shaping policies to providing learning materials that combat traditional gender norms, Educate! is committed to implementing a gender-transformative approach.

Kenyan single mother of three, Rose, is one of millions of young women in Africa in danger of being left behind because they don’t complete secondary education. Through Educate!, she is now thriving as the owner of a second-hand clothing stall. Rose was empowered through SkillUp, Educate!’s innovative, cost-effective bootcamp that combines skills training, practical experience, and individualized support over six weeks in Kenya.

From an early age, Nzabarinda thought of himself as an entrepreneur. Seeking to improve the living standards of those in his town and beyond, Nzabarinda first applied the skills he garnered through Educate! to manufacture a liquid soap made to repel mosquitoes.  Fast forward to today, Nzabarinda is pursuing a degree in business marketing while simultaneously running Tuuza Industries Ltd, a registered startup.

From a young age, movies and television shows intrigued Deborah. She took a keen interest in the art form and was eager to learn how directors and producers made films. Deborah could see the power of great visual storytelling — its ability to evoke emotion, make you nostalgic, and even push you to take action.

When her father passed away and her family could no longer afford her school fees, Olivia had to drop out of secondary school in Western Uganda. At 25 years old, Olivia viewed herself as a girl from a modest background, dependent on her mother to support her basic needs. Then, Olivia joined SisterConnect, an Educate! bootcamp aimed to provide an alternative pathway to employment for youth who are unable to access post-primary education. Over the next few weeks, Olivia would build more than just a business.

Despite learning from experience that women are capable of anything, when Joan entered secondary school, she started to feel like she didn't belong. Thanks to Joan’s perseverance, the network of support she created for herself, and the skills she’s honed through Educate!, today, Joan is a small business owner, a lab technician student, and an incredible mentor.

Samuel is an Educate! Scholar and Student Business Club President in the Educate! Exchange in the Rwamagana district of Rwanda. Amidst school closures and lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Samuel set out to find ways to support his community during as well as put into practice the skills he’s acquired through the Educate! Exchange.

As we all learn to adjust to the challenges caused by COVID-19, we continue to be inspired and encouraged by our students, who have overcome difficult challenges to become young leaders, entrepreneurs, mentors, and role models in their communities. One student who has particularly inspired us is Irene Kisakye, one of Educate!’s first Scholars and superstars in Uganda.

Flipping through the pages of a newspaper one morning, Adeline, a Rwandan secondary student, came across a story which instantly captivated her. The article profiled Esther Mbabazi, the first woman in Rwanda to be certified as a commercial airline pilot. Deeply inspired by Esther’s journey, Adeline soon set her sights on flight school. “Why can’t I be the second?” she wondered.

Born in the Mountainous Rwenzori region of Uganda, Benson was first introduced to computers by his father, who began teaching him basic computing skills at an early age. At just 21 years old, former Educate! Scholar Benson is not only a young entrepreneur and avid computer programmer with his own business, but a budding philanthropist as well.

Daniel Okurut, a former Educate! Scholar in Western Uganda, leveraged both his medical education and his business skills gained through Educate! to open a rural health clinic in his community. Today, he splits his time between his role as a Youth Leader and his clinic, where he employs two people and conducts 350 checkups a month.

Launching their small business has provided Rwandan secondary students Fausta and Emelyne the opportunity to practice essential hard and soft skills that will better prepare them for success after graduation. These skills, the girls say, have helped them build their self-confidence, while expanding their view of what’s possible.

Empowered, ambitious, and brave, Educate! graduate Abigail Chepkwurui is making waves for gender equity and driving change in her community. “I have to become a Member of Parliament.” For Abigail Chepkwurui, a twenty-year-old Educate! Graduate from Eastern Uganda, this is a goal she’s been actively working toward since before joining Educate!. “I’ll campaign for 2026.”

In a rural community in Eastern Uganda, twins Shadia and Shakira somehow find the time to run their own businesses, serve as the Secretary and Treasurer of their Student Business Club, and excel in their courses at Nakalama Secondary School.

Standing in front of his new shop, Francis is glowing. He has just achieved two of his life goals in quick succession. He was accepted to Kyambogo University to study social sciences—a dream he’s had since childhood. Then, as a top Educate! graduate, Francis was recruited to become a Mentor, a role that lets him support 120 other youth to achieve their own dreams.