African Union Youth Division

What African Union Youth Division does

The African Union Youth Division is a non-profit, intergovernmental program housed within the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) of the African Union Commission, headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was established in conjunction with the African Youth Charter adopted in 2006, and its flagship initiative — the 1 Million by 2021 Initiative — was launched in April 2019 by AUC Chairperson H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat. The division operates a continental mandate to create opportunities for the roughly 453 million Africans aged 15-35 (75% of the continent's 1.2 billion population) across four pillars: Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Engagement.

Its core products include the AU Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC), the Pan African University scholarship program, the African Skills Portal for Youth, the Status of African Youth Report (SoAYR), the AU Youth Engagement Toolbox, the Inter-Generational Dialogues Platform, the Youth Innovation Challenge, the Rollo Africa Business Simulation Programme, and the Africa Youth Month annual celebration. These are delivered through dedicated digital platforms (1millionby2021.au.int, au.int/youth-division, HP LIFE integration, Microsoft Global Skills Initiative / LinkedIn GSI, Cesim business simulation) and a multi-channel marketing mix spanning Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, virtual events, and on-the-ground member state implementation.

The division is not a commercial enterprise. It is funded through AU member state assessed contributions and earmarked development partner funding from multilateral agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, ILO), bilateral donors (Germany via GIZ, Korea), corporate sponsors (Microsoft, HP, Cisco, VMWare, Ecobank, Facebook), and foundations (Open Society Foundation, Aga Khan Development Network). All programs are free to beneficiaries; participation as a young person, partner, or member state is the only "pricing model." The division is staffed by a small secretariat (~5 reported employees) but operates at continental scale across all 55 AU member states plus the African diaspora, executing through national ministries and a network of youth-serving organizations, innovation hubs (Afrilabs), and civic platforms.

Name

African Union Youth Division

Legal name

African Union

Website

https://1millionby2021.au.int

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The African Union Youth Division is an intergovernmental program within the African Union Commission that runs the 1 Million by 2021 Initiative, delivering education, employment, entrepreneurship, and engagement opportunities to 453 million African youth aged 15-35 across 55 member states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Programs

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intergovernmental Education Cooperation & Bilateral/Multilateral Programs (EDADALAA), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Volunteer programs Africa
• Entrepreneurship skills training
• Education scholarships Africa
• Civic engagement initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Addis Ababa

HQ country

Ethiopia

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Development Funding: The initiative is funded through partnerships with corporate sponsors (Microsoft, HP, Cisco, VMWare, Ecobank), development partners (UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, ILO), foundations (Open Society Foundation, Aga Khan Development Network), and AU member state contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The African Union Youth Division operates the "1 Million by 2021 Initiative," a flagship continental program launched in April 2019 to create 1 million new opportunities for African youth across Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Engagement (the 4Es). It coordinates member states, corporate sponsors, and development partners to deliver volunteer programs (AU-YVC), scholarship pathways (Pan African University), skills/learning platforms (HP LIFE, African Skills Portal, Microsoft Global Skills Initiative), entrepreneurship support (Youth Innovation Challenge, Rollo Africa Business Simulation), and civic engagement activities (Africa Youth Month, Inter-Generational Dialogues, Model African Union training). All programs and resources are provided free of charge to African youth aged 15–35.

Product overview

The African Union Youth Division operates primarily through the 1 Million by 2021 Initiative, a flagship program launched in April 2019 that organizes its activities across four pillars: Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Engagement. The initiative creates direct opportunities for young Africans through volunteer programs (AU-YVC), educational scholarships (Pan African University), skills development platforms (HP LIFE, Microsoft Global Skills Initiative), entrepreneurship support (Youth Innovation Challenge, Rollo Business Simulation), and engagement tools (AU Youth Engagement Toolbox, Inter-Generational Dialogues, Africa Youth Month celebrations). Supporting products include research publications (Status of African Youth Report, AU ECHO), podcasts (AU Youth Corner), advocacy initiatives (African Youth Charter Hustlers), and policy guidelines (Disability Inclusion). The portfolio is delivered through strategic partnerships with HP, Microsoft, UNDP, Afri-Labs, and others, with programs accessible through dedicated digital platforms and regular virtual events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AU Youth Volunteer Programme: A flagship program of the African Union providing volunteer opportunities for African youth
• African Skills Portal for Youth
• Pan African University

Products and services

• 1 Million by 2021 Initiative Flagship continental initiative of the African Union commissioning coordination between AU Member States, corporate sponsors, and development partners to create 1 million new opportunities for African youth across Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Engagement (4Es). Launched April 2019; targets youth across 55 AU member states and the diaspora.
• African Union Youth Volunteers Corps (AU-YVC) Flagship volunteer program of the African Union providing 21st-century competencies and technical skills to enhance professional lives of African youth volunteers across the continent. Celebrated 10 years of existence in 2020.
• Pan African University Postgraduate university initiative of the African Union providing scholarship opportunities for African students. Applications managed through dedicated portal at au-pau.org.
• African Skills Portal for Youth Online portal providing skills development resources and opportunities for African youth to access vocational training and professional development.
• HP LIFE Online Courses Partnership Partnership with HP Foundation providing 32 free online courses in seven languages through the HP LIFE platform to build business competencies for African youth entrepreneurs.
• Microsoft Global Skills Initiative (Skill Up) Collaboration with Microsoft to help young people across Africa who lost jobs due to COVID-19 re-skill for in-demand technical and tech-enabled roles through the LinkedIn opportunity portal.
• Rollo Africa Business Simulation Programme Risk-free business simulation program created by AU, UNDP, and Afri-Labs to develop holistic thinking, commercial acumen, decision-making, and strategic skills for African SMEs during COVID-19 recovery.
• Youth Innovation Challenge on Democracy and Governance Innovation competition supporting digital or non-digital innovations addressing democracy deficit, lack of good governance, and human rights promotion. Winners receive accelerator training, technical support, coaching, mentorship, and opportunities to showcase at continental and global platforms.
• Innovating Education in Africa Program Annual program supporting and showcasing education innovations across Africa, with grants awarded to top innovators. Winners receive funding (USD 60,000, 40,000, 20,000) plus mentorship and exposure.
• African Youth Charter Hustlers Initiative Initiative engaging African youth in continental, regional, and national advocacy for ratification and implementation of the African Youth Charter, progressive youth policies, youth funds, and inclusion.
• Status of African Youth Report (SoAYR) Comprehensive report providing understanding of the current landscape of youth issues and policies among AU Member States, examining impact of interventions and supporting evidence-informed policy creation.
• AU Youth Engagement Toolbox Online platform providing training materials, toolkits, policy documents, and social media resources for youth engagement, community mobilization, and advocacy, including Model African Union training component.
• AU Youth Corner Podcast Series Podcast series featuring conversations with Youth Division staff and program leads covering Education, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Employment, and Youth Engagement topics.
• Youth Silencing the Guns Campaign Continental campaign to provide a platform to mobilize development and support key actions for youth to implement the Silencing the Guns Agenda in Africa. Part of the AU Theme of the Year 2020.
• AU Disability Inclusion Guideline for Youth Exchange Working document guiding the AU in providing equal access to opportunities for African youth with disabilities. Addresses recruitment processes, disability types, benefits of inclusive programs, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Africa Youth Month Celebrations Annual month-long celebration of African youth every November, featuring themed weeks for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Engagement. Recognized by AU Ministers of Youth, Sports, and Culture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million new opportunities targeted for African youth by 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• HP Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2020MoU signed September 2020 to foster entrepreneurial learning in Africa leveraging HP Foundation's Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE) providing 32 free online courses in seven languages.
• GIZmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 September 2020Technical support provider for African-German Youth Initiative (AGYI) and AU Disability Inclusion Guideline development.
• COMESAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020Joint project with African Governance Architecture (AGA) on Youth Innovation Challenge on Democracy and Governance in Africa.
• African Leadership InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020Partner in launching the 'Greater Inclusion of African Youth in Public Service and Governance' report and intergenerational dialogue.
• African Development BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Partner in the 1 Million by 2021 Initiative providing development financing and technical support for youth empowerment programs across Africa.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Key development partner collaborating on youth programs including the Rollo Africa Business Simulation Programme to support SMEs post-COVID-19. Partnered with Afri-Labs to create business simulation programs.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Development partner supporting youth initiatives and programs including the AU-EU partnership initiatives for youth engagement.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2019Corporate partner providing the Global Skills Initiative platform to help young Africans who lost jobs due to COVID-19 reskill for in-demand roles.
• AfrilabscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Network of African innovation hubs collaborating on SME support programs including the Rollo Africa Business Simulation Programme.
• Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Development partner supporting youth empowerment initiatives across Africa.
• UNFPAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019UN agency partner supporting youth health and development programs.
• CiscominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Corporate partner supporting digital skills and connectivity initiatives for African youth.
• EcobankminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Banking partner supporting entrepreneurship and financial inclusion programs for youth.
• African Women's Leadership Network (AWLN)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Network partner supporting women's leadership and empowerment initiatives.
• Save the ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Humanitarian partner supporting youth and child welfare programs.
• ILOmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019UN agency partner supporting employment and skills development initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Plan International: International NGO running youth empowerment, education and inclusion programs across Africa. Comparable as a multi-country implementer of youth-focused development programming, often partnering with AU member states.
• Mastercard Foundation: Major foundation running Young Africa Works and similar youth employment/education initiatives at continental scale. Comparable as a large, Africa-focused funder operating in education, employment and entrepreneurship for youth.
• UNICEF: UN agency with a dedicated adolescent and youth portfolio across education, skills, and child protection. Operates globally and is an active partner of the AU Youth Division, with overlapping focus on youth skills, learning and well-being across Africa.
• UNESCO: UN agency focused on education, with significant Africa youth programming in skills, higher education, and TVET. Comparable on the Education pillar and policy frameworks that parallel the AU's Agenda 2063.
• ILO: UN agency partner supporting the Employment pillar of the 1Mby2021 Initiative. Comparable in skills, employment and youth labor-market programs across Africa.

Direct peers

• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German development agency already partnering with AU Youth Division on AGYI and the AU Disability Inclusion Guideline. Comparable as a bilateral donor implementing youth skills, inclusion and exchange programs across Africa.
• International Youth Foundation: Global NGO focused on preparing young people for employment, entrepreneurship and civic engagement. Closely comparable mission and operating model across the same 4Es used by the AU Youth Division.
• UNDP: Core development partner of the AU Youth Division; jointly created the Rollo Africa Business Simulation Programme with Afri-Labs. Comparable as a continental-scale development actor running youth employment and entrepreneurship programs across Africa.

Emerging players

• Tony Elumelu Foundation: Africa-wide entrepreneurship program training and funding young African entrepreneurs. Directly comparable on the Entrepreneurship pillar of 1Mby2021, particularly around seed capital and mentorship for youth-led startups.
• African Leadership Institute: Africa-focused governance and leadership organization that has co-published the 'Greater Inclusion of African Youth in Public Service and Governance' report with AU. Comparable on the youth-in-governance / engagement side of the 4Es.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_AfricanUnion
• YouTubeyoutube.com/AUCommission
• Facebookfacebook.com/454340075407
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/au-youth-division
• Instagraminstagram.com/auyouthprogram

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about African Union Youth Division