Community initiative of Child & Youth Finance International

According to the 2017 ILO report on global employment trends for youth, the youth unemployment rate is at 13.1 per cent globally, with higher rates in emerging countries. According to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, youth employment plays a powerful role in poverty alleviation, economic growth, and peace and prosperity for all. In order to alleviate poverty, especially in children and youth, it is crucial to ensure that young people are not only financially included and educated but also provided with the opportunity to gain entry into the labor market.

Ye! Community addresses youth unemployment by supporting young entrepreneurs in starting and growing their businesses. This not only provides employment opportunities to the young entrepreneurs themselves but, according to research conducted on entrepreneurs within the Ye! community, one young entrepreneur will hire around 12 other young people to work with them in their start-ups. Thus, by supporting young entrepreneurs directly, the Ye! Community can promote job stimulation for many young people.

Ye! Community has successfully grown to over 16,000 members from 141 countries. By 2025, it plans to increase membership to 100,000, establish new partnerships to provide mentoring, ICT tools, and financial support to entrepreneurs globally. The initiative has impacted over 15,000 lives by creating job opportunities and fostering entrepreneurship ecosystems that reduce youth unemployment.