young women in action ywa

What young women in action ywa does

Young Women In Action (YWA) is a Zambian non-governmental organization headquartered in Lusaka at Plot No. 7706, Off Buluwe Road, Woodlands Extension, that empowers young women aged 15-35 across 10 districts in 5 provinces. Its work is organized around four programmatic pillars: Young Women's Participation in Governance Processes, Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS, Socio-Economic Empowerment, and Gender and Development. The organization is affiliated with the National Youth Development Council (NYDC) as the secretariat of the National Youth Network on Population and Development (NYPD), is an active member of the Non-Governmental Coordinating Council (NGOCC), and holds a seat on the National AIDS Council Board and the Executive Committee of the Civil Society Africa Peer Review Mechanism.

YWA has no commercial product or technology platform; its delivery mechanism is field-based community outreach, including door-to-door sensitization, radio programming on Radio Phoenix 89.5 MHz FM and One Love Radio 104.1 FM, social media advocacy, and a membership program open to females 15-35 (with associate membership for males 15+ and females 35+). The technology footprint is limited to a WordPress website and a newsletter signup flow. The organization is led by Executive Director Besa Mwansa, with a Board of Directors including a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Legal Advisor, and Publicity Secretary, supported by a Programs Officer, Senior Programme Officer, Finance and Administration Officer, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, and Assistant Program Officer.

YWA does not generate revenue from product or service sales. Funding is sourced exclusively from grants and partnerships with international development organizations, including UNDP, HIVOS, OSISA, The Cater Center, OXFAM Novib, USAID, the Norwegian Church Aid Joint Country Programme, AWDF, and the Global Fund for Women. Notable recent programmatic milestones include voter education delivered ahead of the August 2021 General Elections in partnership with UNDP, and a COVID-19 response that distributed hand washing soap and hand sanitizer to 1,000 vulnerable households with HIVOS and OSISA support, including braille outreach to blind beneficiaries.

Name

young women in action ywa

Legal name

Young Women In Action

Website

https://youngwomeninaction.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Young Women In Action (YWA) is a Zambian nonprofit headquartered in Lusaka that empowers young women aged 15-35 across 10 districts in 5 provinces through governance, sexual and reproductive health, socio-economic empowerment, and gender and development programs, funded by international grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality Nonprofit Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD), Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Women empowerment programs
• Gender and development
• Sexual reproductive health
• Youth civic engagement
• Socioeconomic empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Young Women In Action is a Zambian nonprofit organization that delivers community-based empowerment programs for girls and young women aged 15-35 across four strategic pillars: governance participation, sexual and reproductive health/HIV/AIDS, socio-economic empowerment (education support and entrepreneurial training), and gender and development (combating gender-based violence). Programs are implemented directly in 10 districts across 5 provinces through community outreach, radio campaigns, door-to-door sensitization, and donor-funded project cycles.

Product overview

Young Women In Action (YWA) is a non-profit organization that operates as a unified set of programs focused on empowering young women in Zambia. The organization offers four core programmatic areas: Governance Participation, Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS, Socio-Economic Empowerment, and Gender and Development. These programs work together to address the multifaceted needs of young women aged 15-35 years, combining advocacy, direct services, education support, and skills training. YWA also offers a membership program to engage supporters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Young Women's Participation in Governance Processes A program aimed at increasing young women's participation in governance processes across political and socio-economic spheres at family, community, organizational, and national levels. Includes voter education and civic engagement campaigns targeting first-time voters aged 15-35 in Zambia.
• Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS A program focused on improving young women's reproductive health status and expanding access to HIV/AIDS services, with the goal of quadrupling the number of young women reached. Includes outreach, counselling, and HIV/AIDS support services.
• Socio-Economic Empowerment of Young Women A program providing economic empowerment opportunities through educational support at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels and through entrepreneurial and business skills training to help young women raise their socio-economic status.
• Gender and Development A program aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of gender and development issues amongst young women by challenging patriarchal practices and addressing Gender-Based Violence through community sensitization and legal advocacy.
• YWA Membership Program Membership offering with Full Membership open to females aged 15-35 years and Associate Membership open to males aged 15+ and females aged 35+. Members engage with and support YWA's empowerment programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voter education delivered to first-time voters in Lundazi, Chipata, Chongwe, Kabwe, Lusaka and Mazabuka districts prior to August 2021 General Elections

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWA partnered with UNDP to conduct voter education prior to the Zambia 2021 General Elections as part of the Democracy Strengthening in Zambia Project. YWA rolled out voter education from July 1 to August 11, 2021 targeting first-time voters aged 15-35 in Lundazi, Chipita, Chongwe, Kabwe, Lusaka, and Mazabuka districts.
• HIVOS People UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnder the Women Empowered For Leadership project (WE4L), HIVOS People Unlimited provided support enabling YWA to furnish vulnerable households with hand washing soap and hand sanitizers during COVID-19 response. A total of 1000 households benefited from these donations.
• Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith support from OSISA, YWA scaled up COVID-19 interventions to reach three additional districts, ensuring accessibility for physically challenged persons including the blind through braille materials.
• Association for Women in Development (AWID)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of women-focused organizations. YWA maintains links and works closely with AWID at international level.
• National Youth Development Council (NYDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWA is an affiliate to NYDC, a board formed under an Act of Parliament to coordinate and regulate youth organisations in Zambia. YWA serves as secretariat of the National Youth Network on Population and Development (NYPD).
• Non-Governmental Coordinating Council (NGOCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWA is an active member of NGOCC, the umbrella body of the Women's Movement in Zambia, advancing its values and participation in the women's movement.
• National Democratic Institute (NDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuring 2011 elections, YWA was incorporated in the electoral loose coalition formed by NDI to monitor elections. Also participated in youth input coalition set up by NDI.
• Local Government Association on Zambia (LGAZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWA works in close collaboration with LGAZ on young women's participation in governance, leadership and entrepreneurship.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ActionAid Zambia: Large international NGO with a Zambia country office running women's rights, governance, and economic empowerment programs for young women — comparable mission and donor ecosystem, but at materially larger scale.
• FEMNET (African Women's Development and Communication Network): Continental umbrella network advancing women's rights and gender equality in Africa; comparable advocacy mandate and Southern African footprint, though operationalized at a continental rather than national level.
• Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC): Umbrella body of the women's movement in Zambia in which YWA is itself a member; comparable in its governance and gender-advocacy mandate, but operates as a coordinating network rather than a direct implementer.
• Plan International Zambia: International child- and girl-focused NGO with a Zambia country office running girls' empowerment, SRH, and governance programs — comparable programmatic focus on adolescent girls and shared institutional funders.
• Hivos East Africa: International development organization that currently funds YWA (WE4L project) and operates regional programs on women's empowerment, governance, and SRHR — a comparable thematic focus and an active donor to YWA.

Direct peers

• Restless Development: Youth-led development NGO operating in multiple African countries including Zambia, focused on youth leadership, civic participation, and sexual reproductive health — directly overlapping with YWA's thematic pillars and beneficiary age band.
• Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF): Pan-African women's rights organization focused on governance, legal empowerment, and gender equality — closely aligned with YWA's governance and gender-and-development programs and parallel beneficiary base.
• National Women's Lobby Group (Zambia): Lobby and advocacy group advancing women's rights and governance participation in Zambia — direct peer on YWA's governance participation pillar and overlapping stakeholder/donor ecosystem.
• FAWEZA (Forum for African Women Educationalists – Zambia): Zambia chapter of FAWE focused on girls' education and socio-economic empowerment — closely matches YWA's socio-economic empowerment and education-support programs and operates in similar Zambian districts.

Regional players

• Southern Africa Litigation Centre: Regional human rights and gender justice organization based in Southern Africa; comparable on legal advocacy and women's rights work, though operating regionally rather than exclusively in Zambia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/young-women-in-action-ywa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about young women in action ywa