Social enterprises lack sufficient access to funding, management support and networks to scale their impact and improve their financial sustainability. At the same time, many youth from low-income backgrounds who graduate from public schools or low-tuition private/technical universities rarely have the resources or networks needed for accessing the labour market and face numerous challenges that restrict their ability to improve their socio-economic status upon graduation. Moreover, there is a huge shortage of qualified talent in the technology sector across the region which is slowing down the growth of the local technology ecosystem, and hence the country’s overall economic growth.
The project foresees financial support and capacity building in business development for two promising social enterprises, allowing them to improve their financial sustainability and scale their impact across the country by providing services to their communities and creating jobs for marginalized youth.
The two social enterprises are: B.O.T is an impact-sourcing platform that provides high quality digital services executed by skilled freelancers from untapped communities, under the supervision of a highly qualified team of project managers and experts. SE Factory is a social enterprise that supports talented youth from low-income backgrounds in receiving professional software engineering training and access to employment, while helping.
Throughout the project duration, over 1’400 low-income youth will benefit from targeted technical training and employment opportunities in the digital sector.