Johannesburg, 14 September 2022: Now in its 12th edition, the ONE Africa Award honours African organisations dedicated to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and providing the world with a blueprint for building a better future. The award recognizes, incentivises and provides a platform to showcase the exceptional work of organisations founded by Africans and based in Africa.

Before the pandemic, the lack of decent jobs and opportunities was already a pressing issue in Africa but the socio-economic ramifications of COVID-19 are hitting young people in the continent rapidly and the consequences are harsh.  Young Africans are confronted with various aftershocks, including disruptions to education, lack of access to training and income losses due to economic pressures and are presented with even greater difficulties in finding good quality jobs.

Inspired by our #JobsNowAfrica Campaign which advocates for the creation of 15 million decent jobs annually in Africa by 2025, this year the award will be conferred to an organisation which provides opportunities for young Africans to gain the skills and experience needed, through excellent job and educational opportunities that raise their aspirations and professional networks.

Serah Makka, Interim Africa Executive Director at the ONE Campaign, said: Africa is demographically the world’s youngest continent. By 2030, one fifth of the global labour force – and nearly one third of the global youth labor force – will be from this region. While 10 to 12 million youth enter the workforce each year, only 3 million formal jobs are created. The pandemic has exerted extraordinary social, economic and health challenges on African countries and has exacerbated the social inequalities impacting the most vulnerable. The $100 000 will focus on African ingenuity. The award will be given to a visionary organisation committed to rebuilding a resilient Africa by generating opportunities that will assist in reshaping the continents’ economy and prepare its youth to thrive in an evolving world.

The call for applications will run from 2 September, 2022 and close on 30 September, 2022. Africa-led and Africa-driven organisations have the opportunity to submit their applications for consideration. More details on the ONE Africa Award and the full scoring criteria for applicants can be found at www.one.org/africaaward.

About The ONE Campaign:
ONE is a global organization campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030, so that everyone, everywhere can lead a life of dignity and opportunity. We are nonpartisan and pressure governments to do more to fight extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, and empower citizens to hold their governments to account. Read more at www.one.org.