Africa Career Networks (ACN), a program at African Leadership Academy is proud to announce the launch of its Affiliate Program, a strategic initiative aimed at equipping young African leaders with the tools and opportunities to address the continent’s most pressing challenges.
With a mission to accelerate career pathways in critical sectors such as agribusiness, education, healthcare, governance, infrastructure, professional services, and the arts, the Affiliate Program fosters partnerships with organizations located in key geographies across Africa. These organizations, known as ACN Affiliates, are uniquely positioned to empower Africa’s next generation of leaders by bridging the gap between education, employability, and transformative career opportunities.
ACN has selected nine exceptional affiliate partners for the inaugural program, including:
What Makes the Affiliate Program Unique?
The Affiliate Program is designed to create a ripple effect of change by equipping partner organizations with ACN’s unique programming. This includes:
- Program Participant Training: Preparing young leaders with the skills to succeed in the workplace.
- Employer Engagement: Establishing strong relationships with employers to secure dignified career opportunities.
- Safeguarding, DEI Awareness, and Enablement: Ensuring inclusive and safe career experiences for all participants.
- Network Building Strategies: Improving collaboration and connection among young leaders.
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting: Measuring impact and outcomes for continuous improvement.
Affiliate Partners: Impacting Regions and Communities
Each ACN Affiliate is strategically selected for their demonstrated commitment to youth empowerment and career readiness and play a vital role in shaping the future of Africa.
“Through our Affiliate Program, we’re scaling our impact and creating pathways for young leaders to tackle Africa’s grand challenges,” said Hanifa Manda, Senior Program Manager, ACN Affiliates Program at Africa Career Networks. “We’re excited to collaborate with organizations that share our vision of creating dignified career opportunities for Africa’s youth.”
“The Mastercard Foundation is committed to expanding career opportunities for young people across Africa, especially those facing barriers to employment. Through our partnership with the Africa Careers Network and the Affiliates Program, we are enhancing career services for Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni while promoting inclusivity by supporting young people and women-led organizations and underserved groups. The Affiliates Program also provides access to technology and tools, empowering Affiliates to deliver impactful services and help young people thrive” said Ivy Mwai, Head, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Partner Network.
“The work ACN has demonstrated over the last 10+ years show that partnerships which are focused on value alignment, bring about the best outcomes for our program participants. Our aim is to create careers of impact for youth who have had transformational educational experiences like Mastercard Foundation Scholars and ALA alumni. We know that these nine partners will help us achieve this audacious and important goal and we look forward to growing and scaling this program to 15 partners in the next 5 years.” Val Wiggett, Senior Director, Career Programs, African Leadership Academy.
Looking Ahead
The ACN Affiliate Program marks a significant step toward the program’s goal of enabling thousands of Mastercard Foundation Scholars and ALA alumni to access transformative early-career opportunities. Over the coming years, ACN aims to expand the program to include additional partners, further enhancing its reach and impact.
For more information about the ACN Affiliate Program or to explore ACN’s impact in accelerating career pathways, visit https://careernetworks.africa/
