Joining the Digital Economy: Empowering African Youth through Innovative Learning Pathways to Protest the Traditional Academic Process.

• In Event: Activism and Education Change (I)

Proposal

RELEVANCE: Conventional higher education systems, such as attending universities, have long been perceived as the gateway to economic success and social mobility. Nonetheless, the majority of African rural youth, especially women find themselves unable to access these institutions due to financial and cultural constraints. This disparity hinders their capacity to engage in the digital economy, perpetuating a cycle of limited economic opportunities and social inequality.
THEORY/CONTEXT: In recent years, the rise of the digital economy has transformed the global workforce, ushering in an era of rapid technological advancement and unprecedented opportunities for innovation. However, a significant portion of African youth requires capacity building on using the world-free knowledge available through technology to participate in this digital revolution, primarily due to the prohibitive costs associated with traditional academic routes. This abstract demonstrates that African youth can challenge the conventional path to contributing to the economy by embracing alternative methods of skill acquisition and problem-solving.
INQUIRY: This study advocates for a paradigm shift in learning pathways, emphasizing the potential for African youth to protest the traditional academic approach and opt for more inclusive, accessible, and cost-effective alternatives. By identifying community challenges and leveraging the wealth of free or affordable online courses, young individuals can harness the power of technology to equip themselves with relevant skills. Emphasizing practical, marketable skills development, these digital learning pathways offer a dynamic and flexible means of acquiring knowledge. Furthermore, this abstract highlights the importance of fostering a collaborative and supportive ecosystem, where youth can connect with mentors, industry professionals, and like-minded peers. Online communities and platforms facilitate knowledge-sharing and skill development, creating a conducive environment for innovation and problem-solving.
FINDINGS: Asante Africa Foundation is conducting a groundbreaking Digital Employability and Entrepreneurship Apprenticeship aimed at empowering youths in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. This program focuses on building a business ecosystem within their communities by harnessing free knowledge and skill application to address local challenges in innovative and entrepreneurial ways.
38 youths, 60% girls and 40% boys all O-level dropouts with no hope for continuing with higher education, participated in a 15-month digital employability and entrepreneurship program. They were recruited from deep rural areas of East Africa. Equipped with digital devices and internet subscriptions, they embarked on a 3-month foundational course, introducing them to technology applications in corporate settings and survey research methods to identify community challenges. The youths were then tasked with using business tools to develop social enterprise models to address their identified challenges. To bolster their skills, they had the privilege of learning from globally recognized experts from esteemed companies like Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Cisco, through free or subsidized courses offered providing valuable insights into online solution development. Furthermore, the program offered a 12-month Field Practice Apprenticeship, where the youths gained real-time interactive and hands-on experience in a real business environment, guided by local and international mentors.
As a result of this comprehensive program, over 75% of the graduates successfully established registered businesses, achieving economic outcomes three years ahead of their counterparts who pursued traditional university education. This success validates the effectiveness and accessibility of alternative paths for economic empowerment, demonstrating that those unable to afford conventional academic routes can protest the traditional system and thrive through this alternative approach.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING: By protesting the traditional academic system, which excludes many due to financial limitations, young individuals are embarking on alternative learning pathways that cater to their unique circumstances. By embracing accessible digital resources and focusing on practical problem-solving, the youth can equip themselves with the skills necessary to drive positive change in their communities and unlock economic opportunities in the ever-evolving digital landscape. In conclusion, this abstract advocates for a proactive approach to enable African youth to thrive in the digital economy and has proven to be a way to empower young people to protest against other life threats like climate change by developing businesses in the green economy without the need for a substantial investment in the unaffordable traditional tertiary education.

Authors

• Simon Mwangangi, Asante Africa Foundation

• Erna Grasz, Asante Africa Foundation