With 200 million people aged between 15 and 24, Africa has the youngest population in the world. Some 60% of all unemployed Africans are youth, many in need of special training and practical job skills. Find out about how programmes are using ICT to empower and educate Africa´s youngest generation with the skills they need to get ahead. In this project, we use simple mobile technology to enable Youth Participation across 10 countries in Africa in the Post-2015 Millennium Development Goals Consultation.

1. Voice
Africa’s
Future
Enabling Youth Participation
in the Post-2015 Consultation
through Mobile Platform
eLearning Conference
Kampala, Uganda
May 30th, 2014
@neemaiyer

2. What is TEXT TO CHANGE?
Founded in 2007
Social Mobile Service & Content
Provider
TTC develops Interactive and
Incentive based mobile programs
Mobile Tools for Health, Education,
Economic development, Social
Impact & Accountability:
SMS, Voice, Data Collection App
Pioneer in mHealth in Africa

3. What is POST-2015 AGENDA?
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of 2000 are a global compact
for poverty reduction
8 Global Development Goals to be achieved by 2015
United Nations leading the processes to shape the post-2015
development framework
CURRENT MDGs

4. What is YOUR HOPE OF A BETTER FUTURE
FOR AFRICA?
Establishment of a mobile platform
to enable youth participation in
shaping the post-2015 agenda in
Africa
Youth between age of 18 – 35
Six Countries:
Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya,
Botswana, Ghana, Ethiopia
MAIN OBJECTIVE:
LOCATION & DURATION:
FOCUS POPULATION:

5. What does it LOOK LIKE?

6. Let’s do a DEMO
SMS “POST2015” to 8282

7. How were YOUTH ENGAGED?

8. What were the RESULTS?
UGANDA (n=12234)
“Train, impart vocational skills to the youth so as to be self-employed and creators than job
seekers” (27, male, Bushenyi)

9. What were the RESULTS?
GHANA (n=2505)
“Well-structured educational system that guarantees good jobs for the youth of our country
and prevents the uncertainty associated with one securing a job after university education”
(23, male, West Akim).

10. What were the RESULTS?
ETHIOPIA (n= 5213)
“Hope to see peaceful, free, fair elections and peaceful transfer of power. Lastly, it will be
little late, but one day Africa will be a leading country by the new generation, God bless
Africa” (17, Addis Ababa, male).

11. What were the CHALLENGES?
Obtaining toll-free shortcodes in some of the
countries proved to be challenging
Important to consider language and literacy barriers
Data cleaning of large amounts of qualitative data
from Phase 1
Youth sensitization about the project can be costly

12. What were the CONCLUSIONS?
With 80%+ mobile pentration rate in
Africa, mobile technology is a great tool
for inclusion
Youth have a lot to voice about their
futures and the future of Africa
The combination of RADIO and SMS is
very powerful
Airtime incentives are also powerful in
boosting participation rates
Partnerships with telecoms prove to be
very fruitful

13. Neema Iyer
Program Manager
niyer@texttochange.com
@neemaiyer
http://www.texttochange.com
QUESTIONS?
“I dream of an Africa devoid of
prejudices, an Africa that fully
embraces democracy and shuns
selfishness, an Africa free of debt
and Africa where no one lacks
food, homes are safe children go to
school instead of toiling in the
fields. I dream of Africa where the
libraries are full and the slums are
empty. An Africa where, education
is a right that everyone attains with
or without money. I want an Africa
that gives birth to the greatest
innovators ”