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The Contributions of the Non-Profit Sector to Youth Employment in Ethiopia: A Review of the Literature

Written by info on . Posted in Research Reports.

The review explored how the role of NPOs aims to address structural barriers, such as limited access to finance, insufficient skills training, and fragmented institutional coordination and individual or group-based business development support systems that hindered the youth from realizing employment and livelihood benefits. The review comprises literature from academic, policy, and program/project intervention spheres. Relevant information was collected from published articles, websites, project/program documents, and monitoring and evaluation databases. The review suggested that NPOs have empowered target beneficiaries with the knowledge and skills needed in the labor market. Trainings were conducted to enhance youth livelihood opportunities, such as employability capacities and effective work habits, business skills, entrepreneurship, and business development supports to unemployed youth identified by youth-focused NPOs. These NPOs also used internships, job fairs, and trainings as drivers to promote wage employment and self-employment. The literature also shows that NPOs enabled target youths to access working capital to run businesses individually and in groups and own household assets. The review concludes that NPOs were effective in empowering youth through creating employment, enhancing entrepreneurial capacities, increasing income, and building business and technical skills at a limited scale in urban contexts. However, the literature failed to provide evidence on whether NPOs were able to make their services accessible to unemployed youth in conflict areas, IDP camps, and rural hinterlands.

The Contributions of the Non-Profit Sector to the Economy and the Creation of Dignified and Fulfilling Work for Youths in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Written by info on . Posted in Research Reports.

This literature review examines the contribution of the non-profit sector to the economy and the creation of dignified and fulfilling jobs for youths in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is based mainly on documentary research, even if very few papers have been published on this topic. The direct contribution of non-profit organisations (NPOs) to youth employment remains unclear due to insufficient data regarding NPOs’ roles in providing dignified and meaningful work. In this context, evaluating their contribution to job creation for marginalised youth, especially those living with disabilities, becomes even more difficult. The literature shows that the NPOs generate few direct jobs; their main contribution lies in strengthening the employability of young people through training, mentoring, entrepreneurship support, and advocacy for their inclusion. However, this study highlights a darker reality: the opportunities created are often precarious, characterised by short-term contracts, low salaries, and heavy dependence on external funding, pushing a large proportion of young people into the informal sector just to survive. Furthermore, the glaring lack of reliable quantitative data prevents an accurate assessment of the sector’s impact. Although NPOs represent a beacon of hope and an indispensable partner in addressing the country’s structural shortcomings, their capacity to intervene is relatively weak, partly due to their reliance on foreign donors. Additionally, they are further hindered by the political environment in which they operate. This review highlights the urgent need for an integrated approach, combining coherent public policies, strengthened partnerships between the state, the private sector, and civil society, and structural transformation of the economy, so that the potential of Congolese youth can finally be fully realised.

Contributions of the Non-Profit Sector to the South African Economy: A Focus on Creating Dignified and Fulfilling Work for the Youth

Written by info on . Posted in Research Reports.

Youth unemployment represents a critical socio-economic challenge in South Africa, disproportionately affecting marginalised groups. This literature review synthesises existing research to analyse the contributions of the Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) sector in addressing this crisis, with a specific focus on the creation of dignified and fulfilling work. The review establishes that the sector is a significant employer and provides essential pathways to employment through direct job creation, skills development, vocational training, and support for youth entrepreneurship. However, a critical finding is the pervasive lack of consolidated, granular data, which obscures a precise understanding of the sector’s scale and impact, particularly regarding employment quality for marginalised youth. The analysis reveals a substantial knowledge gap; while the quantitative outputs of NPO-led initiatives are often documented, the qualitative aspects of job dignity, such as stability, fair remuneration, and opportunities for advancement, remain critically underexplored. Key structural challenges, including funding instability and the precarious nature of many NPO-funded positions, further complicate the sector’s ability to deliver sustainable employment. The review concludes that while South African NPOs are indispensable in mitigating youth unemployment, strategic improvements are needed. These include enhancing data collection mechanisms, fostering sustainable funding models, and prioritising the creation of high-quality, dignified work to fully realise the sector’s potential in fostering sustainable economic inclusion for South African youth.

Contributions of the Non-Profit Sector to Youth Employment in Nigeria: A Review of the Literature

Written by info on . Posted in Research Reports.

Against the backdrop of rising youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa, governments have failed to prioritise the welfare of their citizens. The region’s volatile economy, driven by dependence on primary commodities, poor terms of trade, undiversified markets, and features of the Dutch disease, has further compounded these challenges. With both the public and private sectors struggling to address these issues, the non-profit sector has emerged as a beacon of hope. In the absence of government and the private sector to address the developmental challenges facing African youth, non-profit organisations are making significant contributions to address such challenges, including youth unemployment. This review appraised the literature on the economic contributions of the non-profit sector in addressing the social and economic crises facing Nigerian youth, especially the problem of youth unemployment. It deploys a desktop approach and employs a thematic analysis. On the basis of this, it highlights the contribution of the sector to economic development, including gaps in youth achieving dignified and fulfilling employment; identifies gaps in the literature; and points to areas of further research.

The Non-Profit Sector’s Contribution to Kenya’s Economy, and the Creation of Dignified and Fulfilling Work for the Youth

Written by info on . Posted in Research Reports.

This literature review examines the non-profit sector’s role in Kenya’s economy, focusing on its contribution to creating dignified and fulfilling employment for youth aged 15 to 35 years. Despite Kenya’s youthful population, high unemployment and underemployment persist, with 77 per cent of employed youth in vulnerable, informal jobs. The non-profit sector, including NGOs and social enterprises, addresses these challenges through direct employment, volunteerism, skills training, entrepreneurship support, and digital advancement. It contributes significantly to GDP, with NGOs alone employing over 76,000 individuals and injecting billions into the economy. However, gaps remain in skills alignment, technology access, gender disparities, and policy advocacy. The review identifies sector-specific opportunities in agriculture, ICT, and MSMEs, while highlighting the need for demand-driven training and inclusive strategies. By synthesising existing literature, this review underscores the sector’s potential to transform youth employment but calls for stronger collaboration, sustainable funding, and culturally sensitive frameworks to enhance impact. The findings aim to inform policymakers, practitioners, and researchers about leveraging the non-profit sector for equitable economic growth.

Xolani Dlamini

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Xolani is a Digital Publisher specialising in academic/scholarly publishing, particularly Open Access journals. He has been involved in managing and publishing various academic journals in different fields of study. Xolani holds an Honours degree in Information Science Studies from the University of Zululand.

Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima

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Dabesaki is a Senior Programme Officer at the West Africa office of the Ford Foundation who has extensive experience working on youth issues from a research, policy and programme perspective across Africa and beyond. He has a Ph.D. in International Development and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of East Anglia, and a Bachelor of Education in Educational Psychology from the Rivers State College of Education. Dabesaki has a PhD in International Development and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of East Anglia, and a Bachelor of Education in Educational Psychology from the Rivers State College of Education.

Joseph Sobuthongo

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Joseph works with the academic team and provide support for both short and long academic programmes. He holds an Honours Degree in Public Management and Governance (Development and Management) from the North West University.

Dr Dennis Boahene Osei

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Dennis is a Regional Lead Researcher for the Mastercard Foundation project. He is an Applied Economist with years of experience in teaching and conducting research, with exceptional knowledge of economics, applied econometrics and evidence-based research. Dennis holds a PhD in Economics (specialising in African philanthropy and impact investment) from the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, and a Master of Philosophy and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is also a Chartered Financial Economist obtained from the Association of Certified Chartered Economists, Global Academy of Finance and Management, United States. Dennis’ research interests include but are not limited to development economics, African philanthropy, impact investment, and innovation economics. He has authored several peer-reviewed articles in leading scholarly journals and chapters in books.

George Tweneboah

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George supports CAPSI’s research management, supervision and teaching portfolio. He is a Senior Lecturer at Wits business School, holding a PhD as well as a Doctorate Degree in Finance from Wits University.

Dr Neo Mokone

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Dr Neo Mokone is a lecturer at the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment for the Master of Management in African Philanthropy & Postgraduate Diploma in Philanthropy and Resource Mobilisation programmes at the University of Witwatersrand’s Wits Business School. He is a multi-disciplinary pracademic with formal education and training in Public Policy, Public Administration, Good Governance, Development Studies, Agricultural Economics, and Philanthropy. He is the member of the Golden Key International Society, and has over 10 years of experience in Local Government. His research output has gained him many recognitions, with many peer reviewed articles, book and book chapters. He has also attended and presented research papers in academic conferences, and engaged in some academic trainings to gain more knowledge in both academic writing and analytical skills. He is very passionate about research, and has co-authored the book titled: Social Policy in Southern Africa: Prospects and Possibilities.

Susan Maposa

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Susan is a pracademic, with over twenty years of professional work experience supporting international development organisations in Africa and Asia. She delivers technical leadership, research, strategy, and grant fund support to improve the gender equality and social inclusion practices, programmes and outcomes of government and civil society partners. She has a wide range of skills and expertise in the fields of philanthropy and social development, through her work with multilateral and bilateral agencies, non-governmental organisations, research institutes and universities, as well as consultancy firms. Her experience includes programme conceptualisation, design, management, implementation, evaluation and documentation.