Contributions of the Non-Profit Sector to the Creation of Dignified and Fulfilling Work for Young People in Africa
About the Project
In 2023, CAPSI launched one of the most ambitious youth employment research initiatives ever undertaken on the African continent — with the support of the Mastercard Foundation.
The project, titled Contributions of the Non-Profit Sector to the Creation of Dignified and Fulfilling Work for Young People in Africa, sets out to answer a question that has long lacked rigorous, continent-wide evidence: what role does the non-profit sector actually play in creating dignified work for young Africans?
The Partnership
CAPSI and the Mastercard Foundation share a common conviction — that African-led, African-grounded research is the foundation for African solutions. The Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy aims to enable 30 million young Africans to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. This research programme directly supports that ambition by generating the evidence base that governments, funders, non-profit organisations and young people themselves need to make better decisions.
With $7.8 million (approximately R140 million) in support from the Mastercard Foundation over five years (2023–2028), the project represents a once-in-a-generation investment in understanding and amplifying the non-profit sector’s contribution to African economies.
Why This Research Matters
The role of the non-profit sector in African economies is widely acknowledged but poorly understood. Anecdotal evidence abounds — in every country, non-profit organisations keep communities functioning through social, economic and civic activity. Yet rigorous, data-driven studies of this sector’s contribution to youth employment have been conspicuously absent from the African research landscape.
As Prof Bhekinkosi Moyo, Director of CAPSI, has noted: “The role played by the non-profit sector is generally underestimated in many economies. This support from the Mastercard Foundation provides us a once-off opportunity to test the hypothesis that the non-profit sector is a major force to be reckoned with in African societies.”
This project fills that gap — systematically, at scale, and with African researchers at the helm.
Continental Scope
The research spans 17 African countries across all major sub-regions of the continent, carried out through an autonomous, African-led network of researchers and partner institutions. It focuses specifically on young people between the ages of 15 and 35, with an intentional emphasis on those most often excluded from formal economic systems.
The 17 participating countries are: Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Evidence for Policy. Knowledge for Change.
This is not research for its own sake. Every output — from country literature reviews and synthesis reports to policy briefs, webinars and a digital knowledge hub — is designed to inform decision-making. By building an interconnected body of evidence, the project equips policymakers, funders, non-profit leaders and the private sector with the knowledge they need to accelerate dignified youth employment across Africa.
Years of research (2023–2028)
African countries
Mastercard Foundation investment
Doctoral researchers being trained
Country literature reviews completed
Young Africans targeted by the Young Africa Works strategy
Project Objectives
Generate Evidence
Produce rigorous, cross-country data and knowledge documenting the extent to which the non-profit sector in 17 African countries is creating decent, dignified and fulfilling employment opportunities for young people between the ages of 15 and 35.
This evidence will give policymakers, funders and practitioners the grounded insights they need to make informed decisions — and to make the case for investment in the non-profit sector as a driver of youth employment.
Build the Next Generation of African Scholars
Train 20 doctoral researchers over five years, drawn from universities across the continent, in disciplines including social entrepreneurship, job creation, technology inclusion, financial inclusion, enterprise development and youth studies.
These Fellows are not passive scholarship recipients — they are embedded in the project’s research processes, conducting fieldwork, contributing to publications, and building expertise that will shape African scholarship for decades to come.
Create a Lasting Knowledge Infrastructure
Build sustainable, reliable systems for knowledge generation — including measurement frameworks, data platforms and a digital hub — that match young Africans’ needs and opportunities with dignified employment, long after the project concludes.
This infrastructure will serve researchers, non-profit organisations, governments and young people as a living, growing resource.
Watch the Project
Project Launch
The official launch of CAPSI’s landmark partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, introducing the scope, ambition and team behind the research.
Youth Project Overview
An overview of the project’s objectives, methodology and continental reach — and what the research means for young Africans seeking dignified work.
Related Project
Explore related initiatives and how this body of research connects to the broader landscape of youth employment and non-profit sector work across Africa.
Latest News
This page is the central home for all Youth Project news and updates. Explore announcements, insights and stories from across the project’s 17 partner countries.
CAPSI and Mastercard Foundation Partner on Project Geared Towards Youth Employment Research in Africa
“The non-profit sector is not just filling gaps but actively shaping new pathways to dignified work for Africa’s youth.”
Publications
Events
From validation workshops to international conferences, the Youth Project convenes researchers, policymakers, non-profit leaders and young people across Africa and beyond. Explore past events and watch for what’s coming next.
Major Continental Study on Nonprofit Sector’s Role in Youth Employment Under Validation in Dakar
Contributions of the Nonprofit Sector to African Economies: Research Findings Validation Workshop
The Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is convening a Validation Workshop in Dakar to consider findings from a continental initiative that seeks to advance the understanding of the contribution of the non-profit sector towards creating access to dignified and fulfilling work for young Africans. The workshop comes at a critical time as African countries continue to grapple with persistent youth unemployment, inequality and limited access to sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Impact
The project is designed for long-term impact — in scholarship, policy, practice and the lives of young Africans. This section will grow as the research advances.
Research Outputs
To date, the project has produced a continental synthesis literature review, published country literature reviews across 13 countries, and submitted academic papers to peer-reviewed international journals. Quantitative data collection has been completed in 14 of 17 countries.