Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI)’s continent-wide research on dignified and fulfilling work for Africa’s youth has grown into a powerful body of country-level evidence, action-oriented interventions, and youth-led innovation shaping conversations on the future of work across Africa.
A Landmark Continental Research Programme
One of CAPSI’s most significant undertakings to date is a landmark research programme titled Contributions of the Non-Profit Sector to the Creation of Dignified and Fulfilling Work for Young People in Africa. This initiative brings together autonomous African researchers and institutions to examine how the non-profit sector contributes to creating meaningful employment opportunities for young people across 17 African countries.
As the first comprehensive, continent-wide review of its kind, the programme highlights key trends, surfaces critical evidence gaps, and identifies policy-relevant directions, while intentionally amplifying the voices, agency, and lived experiences of African youth.
Strengthening the Evidence Base at Country and Regional Levels
To date, CAPSI has released more than ten country-specific literature review reports, with the remaining seven reports forthcoming. Together, these publications significantly strengthen the evidence base at both national and regional levels.
Developed through collaboration with African-led research networks and institutions, this growing body of work sheds light on the non-profit sector’s role in:
· Skills development
· Social innovation
· Employment and livelihood pathways
At the same time, the research surfaces persistent structural barriers facing young people, including limited access to finance, skills mismatches, and exclusion from decision-making processes.
Translating Evidence into Practice
Beyond research outputs, 2025 marked major progress across five interconnected interventions designed to move evidence into action. These interventions include:
· Convenings and policy dialogues
· Digital and creative knowledge translation
· Strategic stakeholder engagement
· Targeted initiatives that centre youth voice and agency
Collectively, these efforts aim to ensure that research findings inform practice, influence policy, and resonate with young people and decision-makers alike.
Pan-African Youth Competition: Centring Youth Voice
A key highlight of the year was the launch of the Pan-African Youth Competition, which invites youth-led teams to creatively interpret and share research findings through accessible formats such as:
· Digital storytelling
· Podcasts
· Social media campaigns
· Short-form video and reels
With US$128,000 in total prizes awarded across Southern, East, North, and West Africa, the competition seeks to extend the reach of the research, mobilise young audiences, and influence public and policy discourse on the future of work.
A Commitment to African-Led Solutions
Together, this expanding portfolio of research, country-level insights, and action-oriented interventions reflects CAPSI’s commitment to:
· Building African-led knowledge
· Advancing evidence-based responses to youth unemployment
· Supporting dignified and fulfilling work pathways for young people across the continent
Further Reading
· Published Research Reports:
https://www.capsi.wits.ac.za/research-reports/
. 2025 Youth Project Research Lead Reflection:
https://www.capsi.wits.ac.za/youth-project-end-year-newsletter-2025/
