Mar, 2025
AFRICAN YOUTH PANEL (AYP).
The African Youth Panel (AYP) is a participatory action research initiative established in response to the growing number of young people in Africa who lack access to dignified and fulfilling work. This initiative is based on a four-year partnership between TrustAfrica and the Mastercard Foundation. AYP serves as a platform for young Africans to explore ways to create secure and sustainable futures by identifying the issues and barriers that hinder their access to meaningful work in their communities and fields of interest and beginning to curate and design solutions to address these.
Operating in 10 countries which are; Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe and is supported by anchor institutions in each country, African Youth Panel focuses on identifying barriers to dignified and fulfilling work through community engagement, Participatory Action Research(PAR), and advocacy.
AYP will engage 200 diverse youths (70% women aged 18-35) to generate insights on issues ranging from climate change to artificial intelligence. The program fosters youth leadership, evidence-based problem-solving, and policy influence. In Tanzania, 20 panelists have been on-boarded to contribute to research, storytelling, and systemic change.
OBJECTIVES OF AYP TANZANIA:
- Identify and Address Barriers – Conduct research to uncover obstacles preventing young people from accessing dignified and fulfilling work.
- Empower and Mobilize Youth – Strengthen youth participation in decision-making through advocacy, storytelling, and policy engagement.
- Generate Scalable Solutions – Develop evidence-based recommendations to inform local and regional interventions for systemic change.
EVENT ACTIVITIES:
Day one:
- Introduction session between the panelists and the facilitators.
- BFA office visit – getting familiar with the office location and activities.
- Lastly, an exciting city tour, where the panelists navigated the Arusha cultural heritage.
Day two:
- On-boarding session, panelists were registered on the program
- Passport application, The panelists had a session with a lawyer for passport application guidance.
- Closing remarks and farewell wishes from the facilitators and the panelists.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
- Enhanced Youth Engagement – Increased participation of young people in policy dialogues and local development initiatives.
- Data-Driven Advocacy – Production of research reports, stories, and case studies influencing policy and youth programs.
- Sustainable Impact – Strengthened youth networks collaborating to implement practical solutions for dignified work.
