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Youth Economic Empowerment

Young people comprise a substantial proportion of the population in many countries of the Global South. While youth hold enormous potential to contribute to positive change, economic growth, innovation and resilience, this important segment often faces a disproportionate share of financial exclusion and unemployment.


Ayani offers specialized expertise in youth economic empowerment, including:

  • youth financial inclusion
  • youth financial literacy
  • business incubation and skill building for youth
  • other initiatives focused on youth entrepreneurship and employment.


SIGNATURE PROJECTS





National Program on Youth in Agriculture

In 2020, Ayani is providing technical support to the Mozambique Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to design a national program for promoting youth in agriculture; the program combines incubation, technical training and financial instruments.


Youth Agribusiness Incubation

In 2019 and 2020, on behalf of SUSTENTA Mozambique, Ayani supported an incubator in selecting and training youth for a World Bank -funded project and designed an incubation strategy for youth in agriculture.


Impact Assessment of Youth Savings

In 2019 and 2020, Ayani supported FSD Africa in assessing the impact of NMB’s youth savings products in Tanzania. In particular, Ayani helped shed light on age as a determining factor in the uptake and use of financial products. Resulting case studies illustrate whether and how youth savings products led to improved resilience for youth and their families.


Young woman accessing financial services at NMB Bank Tanzania - Used with permission of FSDA


Youth Financial Inclusion Panelists at ACET’s Policy Learning Event in 2019 with Ayani CEO Myka Reinsch as moderator - Used with permission of ACET

Youth Services Ecosystem Assessment

In 2017-2018, African Centre for Economic Transformation ( ACET ) hired Ayani to conduct in-depth assessments of youth and women’s financial inclusion in Sierra Leone and Guinea. The research led to a consolidated thought leadership piece covering access, usage, quality and welfare issues aimed at fostering policies and regulations that enable greater financial inclusion of women and youth. In 2019, ACET invited Ayani to moderate a session on youth financial inclusion for African policymakers, drawing on the earlier research.

In 2014, ADA and Rotary commissioned Ayani to undertake a feasibility study focused on enhancing and expanding financial and nonfinancial services geared for youth in Niger, Senegal and Togo. Ayani analyzed the general economy and youth services ecosystem in each country, identified high-potential FSPs and nonfinancial service providers, and made strategic recommendations for the program.

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