Social Change Factory

What Social Change Factory does

Social Change Factory (SCF) is a Senegalese non-profit association founded in 2014 and headquartered in Dakar, with a secondary campus in Tambacounda. The organization operates as a citizen leadership, social innovation, and research center focused on empowering African youth aged 12-24 to become engaged leaders and drivers of community-level social change. SCF designs and delivers training programs, educational content, and civic engagement platforms across 18 Sub-Saharan African countries, with primary footprints in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

The portfolio centers on two flagship offerings: Voix des Jeunes (VDJ), a citizen leadership program combining bootcamps, real-world community projects, and a reality-format television show that has reached 12 million cumulative viewers; and Yaa Ma Gëna Xam (YMGX), a 100% African educational quiz game available as both physical cards and a mobile application on Android and iOS, covering citizenship, culture, wellness, sports, learning, inclusion, and entrepreneurship. Complementary programs include Voix des Adolescentes (gender-focused leadership for adolescent girls in Côte d'Ivoire, 8,500+ participants), Voix des Jeunes Lab (children 12-16, five countries), Voix des Jeunes School (inter-school competitions in Senegal), SIGGI (civil society organization professionalization), and country-specific adaptations like WaYeWa in Niger and Jambaar Corona Solution in Gambia. Underlying methodology rests on a "four C" approach (Co-creation, Concertation, Challenges, Collaboration) and the Colibri (hummingbird) allegory.

SCF's business model is grant-based and non-commercial. Primary revenue streams are foundation and international NGO grants (UNICEF, Save the Children/SIDA, Plan International, Fondation TotalEnergies, Fondation d'entreprise Michelin, USAID) and government ministry contracts (Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia). Programs are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. The organization monetizes reach and impact metrics rather than pricing units, and operates through direct field implementation (Campus Managers), school networks, consortium partnerships (Consortium Jeunesse Sénégal, Alliance Jeunesse Côte d'Ivoire), and a Board seat at UN Generation Unlimited. To date, over 100,000 youth have participated in SCF programs and implemented nearly 1,000 community-scale solutions.

Name

Social Change Factory

Legal name

Social Change Factory

Website

https://socialchangefactory.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Social Change Factory is a Dakar-based non-profit founded in 2014 that designs youth leadership, civic engagement, and educational programs for African adolescents and young adults across 18 Sub-Saharan African countries, delivering training, gamified learning tools, and television content in partnership with UNICEF, Save the Children, and other international funders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Youth Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Child and Youth Services (62411), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Inclusion & Civic Tech (Connectivity, GovTech for Social Good) (BPAGALAK)

Keywords

• Youth civic engagement
• Citizen leadership training
• Educational quiz games
• Civil society strengthening
• Social behavior change communication

Headquarters

HQ city

Dakar,

HQ country

Senegal

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and NGO Grants: Primary funding comes from international development organizations and foundations including UNICEF, Plan International, Save the Children, SIDA, and various corporate foundations such as Fondation TotalEnergies and Fondation d'entreprise Michelin.
2. Government Partnerships: Collaborations with government ministries for program implementation, including Ministry of Youth in Côte d'Ivoire, Ministry of Education, and local governmental bodies in Senegal and other West African countries.
3. Network Membership Contributions: Active membership in networks including Generation Unlimited (UN), Consortium Jeunesse Sénégal, and Alliance Jeunesse Côte d'Ivoire provides operational support and resource sharing.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Social Change Factory is a Dakar-based non-profit association that designs and delivers youth civic engagement, citizen leadership, and social innovation programs across West and Central Africa. Its core offerings are structured bootcamps, school-based competitions, gamified educational quizzes (delivered as physical card games and mobile applications), and televised reality-style programs that train young people to design and implement community-scale solutions. Programs are funded through grants and institutional partnerships and offered free of charge to youth beneficiaries.

Product overview

Social Change Factory operates a portfolio of interconnected youth engagement and social innovation programs, centered around two flagship offerings: (1) Voix des Jeunes (VDJ), a television-based citizen leadership reality program with bootcamp training and community action projects, and (2) Yaa Ma Gëna Xam (YMGX), an African educational quiz available as both a card game and mobile application. The portfolio extends through complementary programs including Voix des Adolescentes for girls' empowerment, Voix des Jeunes School and Voix des Jeunes Lab for school-based and child-focused engagement, SIGGI for civil society strengthening, and regional adaptations like WaYeWa in Niger. All programs are built on the 'hummingbird allegory' philosophy where every small action contributes to positive transformation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Voix des Jeunes: A flagship citizen leadership program that accompanies young people to become engaged leaders through structured bootcamps, practical application, and televised reality-style initiative deployment. Deployed in six countries: Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Chad, Gambia, and Niger.
• Yaa Ma Gëna Xam (YMGX)
• SIGGI
• Voix des Adolescentes
• Voix des Jeunes Lab

Products and services

• Voix des Jeunes (VDJ) Citizen leadership program that accompanies young people to become engaged leaders through structured bootcamps, practical application of skills, and a televised reality-style initiative that documents and inspires community action. Deployed across six African countries.
• Yaa Ma Gëna Xam (YMGX) 100% African educational quiz game available as physical cards and a mobile application on Android and iOS, covering citizenship, culture, food and wellness, sports, learning, inclusion, and entrepreneurship topics; deployed in Senegal, Niger, Gambia, and Burkina Faso.
• Voix des Adolescentes Program aimed at reducing gender inequalities in leadership and participation of adolescent girls and young women in Côte d'Ivoire, using capacity building, mentoring, and citizen initiative co-creation, with over 8,524 participants across 5 regions.
• SIGGI Structural program dedicated to strengthening the autonomy and professionalization of civil society organizations (CSOs) through participatory needs assessment and co-constructed training pathways; 556 youth CSOs strengthened in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Ghana.
• Voix des Jeunes School School-based version of Voix des Jeunes targeting middle-school (CEM) students in Senegal on Protection, Health, Well-being, and Education, structured as inter-school competitions where students design and implement community solutions.
• Voix des Jeunes Lab Innovation laboratory targeting children aged 12-16 to express views on children's rights and climate change and develop advocacy and social-innovation solutions through creative workshops in schools across 5 West African countries.
• Jambaar Corona Solution COVID-19 response and awareness program in Gambia that trained and engaged 1,000 young people across seven regions on prevention techniques, symptom detection, and vaccination awareness campaigns.
• WaYeWa First educational quiz launched in Niger, inspired by YMGX, covering children's rights, peace education, citizenship, environment, science, hygiene and health, and culture; 1,000 copies printed and distributed in schools in Niamey and Diffa.
• YaakaarTalk Discussion platform and event series for youth engagement on citizen innovation topics, held at youth spaces to debate forms of civic engagement and how to diversify and implement them effectively.
• Via Creative International poster competition for road safety awareness targeting youth, organized with Consortium Jeunesse Senegal, involving inter-school competition and the digitization of student-created posters for awareness campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ youth participants have implemented nearly 1,000 community-scale solutions
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ASHOKA Afrique FrancophonecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2023MOU signed March 15, 2023 for collaboration in education, training, and citizen engagement in Africa. SCF co-founder Sobel Aziz Ngom previously worked at Ashoka; current Executive Director Arame Gueye Sène is an Ashoka Youth Champion.
• Generation UnlimitedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCF sits on the Board of Directors of Generation Unlimited at the United Nations, described as a youth-driven partnership that understands challenges youth face and aims to propose relevant solutions.
• Consortium Jeunesse Sénégal (CJS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCF is a founding member of CJS, composed of 18 startups and associations innovating to solve challenges in learning, socio-professional inclusion, and youth inclusion. SCF co-implements programs including Via Creative and YaakaarTalk through CJS.
• Alliance Jeunesse Côte d'Ivoire (AJCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCF is a founding member of AJCI which unites associations, entrepreneurs, investors, decision-makers, and researchers around youth development and empowerment in Côte d'Ivoire.
• UNICEF Côte d'IvoireflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerUNICEF is a key partner for Voix des Adolescentes program in Côte d'Ivoire, working with the Ministry of Youth Promotion. Funding and technical support for programs targeting adolescent girls.
• Plan International West and Central AfricaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership under Pan African State Accountability Program (PASAP) for child rights consultations involving 5,037 actors in 14 African countries.
• MAEJT Afrique (Enda Jeunesse Action)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in PASAP program and co-implementer of Voix des Jeunes Lab. Pan-African network of youth organizations.
• Gorée InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Voix des Jeunes Lab program development.
• National Youth Council of GambiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Jambaar Corona Solution COVID-19 training and engagement program.
• Centre for Sustainable Development (CSD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Jambaar Corona Solution COVID-19 program in Gambia.
• Ministry of Health of GambiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment partner for Jambaar Corona Solution COVID-19 response program.
• BanlieueUPminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in implementing Via Creative road safety awareness and creation activities on the ground.
• Africulturban AssociationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerResponsible for digitizing posters created by students in Via Creative competition.
• MakeSenseminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner providing theoretical and practical training for CJS Volontariat and Fellowship programs alongside SCF.
• Search For Common Ground NigercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner with SCF for Plateforme Jeunes au Niger project, creating WaYeWa educational quiz for Niger.
• Ministère de la Promotion de la Jeunesse (Côte d'Ivoire)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment ministry partner for Voix des Adolescentes program implementation.
• CEDEAO (ECOWAS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional body working on inclusive decision-making spaces as part of child rights program framework.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Generation Unlimited (UNICEF/UN): Global UN-led multi-stakeholder partnership focused on skills, engagement, and employability for youth aged 10-24. SCF holds a Board seat; directly comparable given shared African youth development mandate and partner ecosystem overlap.
• Restless Development: UK-headquartered youth-led development agency running citizen leadership and civic engagement programs across Africa and Asia. Direct peer given overlapping youth civic leadership, peer-educator model, and African country footprint (Uganda, Sierra Leone, Zambia).
• Ashoka Africa: Social-entrepreneur network and fellowship program with deep African footprint. SCF co-founders are Ashoka-affiliated and an MOU exists; Ashoka is directly comparable as a peer in identifying and supporting African changemakers, including youth-focused ventures.
• Plan International West and Central Africa: INGO with flagship child-rights and girls' empowerment programming across the same West/Central African geographies where SCF operates. Direct peer given overlapping child-rights advocacy, Voix des Adolescentes-style girls' programs, and PASAP partnership collaboration.
• Save the Children West Africa: Major INGO funding and implementing Voix des Jeunes Lab with SCF across Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. Directly comparable given shared child-rights, education, and youth civic engagement mandate in West Africa.
• African Leadership Academy: South Africa-based pan-African secondary leadership institution developing young African leaders aged 16-19. Comparable in youth leadership development methodology, pan-African recruitment model, and university/career placement focus.
• Enda Jeunesse Action (MAEJT): Pan-African youth-organization network headquartered in Senegal, co-implementing Voix des Jeunes Lab and PASAP with SCF. Directly comparable given shared pan-African youth civic engagement focus, West/Central Africa footprint, and CSO-strengthening remit.

Emerging players

• YALI (Young African Leaders Initiative): US-government initiative investing in the next generation of African leaders through leadership academies, regional centers, and Mandela Washington Fellowship. Comparable as a peer in pan-African youth civic and leadership development, with overlapping target demographic (18-35 African leaders).

Broad incumbents

• BRAC Africa: Global development organization with significant African operations focused on youth empowerment, education, and livelihoods. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating youth civic engagement and skills programs across multiple African countries (Tanzania, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia).
• UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office: UN agency funding and co-implementing multiple SCF programs (Voix des Adolescentes, Jambaar Corona Solution, WaYeWa). Comparable as a large incumbent across girls' empowerment, child rights, and youth development — same outcomes, broader portfolio and geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/socialchangefactory
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@socialchangefactory?si=S-7kJsFokSF4jlBq
• Facebookfacebook.com/SocialChangeFactory
• Instagraminstagram.com/socialchangefactory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/social-change-factory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Social Change Factory