As part of efforts to economically empower Africa’s youth, Junior Achievement (JA) Africa, a non-governmental organisation has launched a program dubbed “Our Future-Tomorrow’s Innovators”.
The program, which is in partnership with Boeing, a leading global aerospace company, and in collaboration with INJAZ Al-Arab, seeks to train over 5,000 youth in Africa with the necessary digital and innovative skills to become leaders in their chosen fields.
Addressing the media, the Chief Executive Officer of JA Africa, Simi Nwogugu, says the program will help bridge the unemployment gap in the country.
“Today we’ve launched the partnership between JA, Africa and Boeing, and they are sponsoring STEM initiatives all over the world. But in Africa, they’ve chosen to partner with us to support digital entrepreneurship, which is entrepreneurship for young people as well as digital skills for those who would like to seek jobs of the future.”
“We are only creating about 3,000,000 jobs, so really there are not enough jobs for the young people in Africa, so that’s why we’re turning these young people into job creators that they will start businesses and hire their fellow young people”.
The President of Boeing Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Kuljit Ghata-Aura, on the other hand, said his outfit is determined to also support the underprivileged in society.
He added that Boeing’s stage of its partnership with AJ Africa “will allow an even greater number of talented young Africans to reach their full potential and to leapfrog into a brighter future”.
Louisa Adjei Tawaih is one of the beneficiaries of the JA program and a student of the Aburi Senior High School. She applauded JA Africa for such an initiative. She indicated that the opportunity given her and her colleagues is a step toward becoming entrepreneurs in the future.
About JA Africa
Junior Achievement (JA) Africa equips young Africans with the employment and entrepreneurship skillsets and mindsets they need to build thriving communities.
Through the delivery of financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship training and in collaboration with schools, technical, vocational centres and other partners. JA Africa works in 13 countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra-Leonne, Kenya.