Ashley Collier
Ashley Collier, Program Manager in-charge of Education and Learning at MasterCard Foundation, has indicated that the Foundation has committed US$212 million to 18 partners in Ghana to implement their respective youth economic development initiatives.
The partners, according to her, include educational institutions such as Ashesi University College, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Youth Forward Initiatiative.
Addressing about 28 young agro researchers drawn from seven African countries, including Ghana at the African Regent Hotel lately, she added that the Foundation has also committed GH¢415 million to 28 multi-year entrepreneurship and workforce skills development projects worldwide.
“We believe that investing our resources in young people is critical for economic growth and pays dividends over the long term,” she stated.
She revealed that the Foundation has impacted about 3.1 million young people through its Youth Livelihoods Programme.
“As the Foundation continues its focus in the next 10 years, we know that we must leverage every asset at our disposal to tackle the challenge of youth unemployment in Africa,” she reiterated.
Ms Ashley Collier indicated that over the next 10 years, the Foundation will focus on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), government, the private sector and civil society groups.
“More importantly, this new focus means working with young people themselves to provide them with the skills and pathways they need to find success, thrive and create opportunities for others,” she stressed.
Speaking on the 2017-18 Youth Think Tank (YTT) and Restless Development annual report on the theme, “Building Inclusive Agricultural Technologies for Young People,’ she opined that the research, which was carried out by some of the young agro based researchers, highlights a number of challenges faced by young people in agriculture.
Rachel Proefke, Senior International Research Manager, Restless Development, a youth-led development agency, runs strategic hubs in 10 countries across Africa, Asia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA).
The objective of the organization is to ensure that young people have a voice, as well as sexual rights, to resolve challenges in the world.
By Solomon Ofori