Africa Youth Thematic Hub (AYTH)

WWF Sweden has extensive experience of working with young people and education in several countries. One intervention is the Africa Youth Thematic Hub which aims to strengthen young people and civil society in seven African countries: Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda.

AYTH is part of the SIDA- funded program Leading The Change (LtC) whose overall ultimate desired outcome is:
“People and communities in programme areas are effectively exercising their rights, controlling decisions and equitably receiving benefits from natural resources, and contributing to the sustainable management of key ecosystems and habitat.”

An important part of the program is also to work with Human Right Based Approach and Gender equality.

The purpose of AYTH is to strengthen young people and give them the abilities and opportunities to become leaders who can bring about transformation change.

The work is based on four strategies:

1. Advancing Policy which seeks to promote the adoption of policies that mainstream sustainability, and youth participation in decision-making related to conservation and green growth;
2. Capacity Building is seeking to ensure a critical mass of youth is using their technical and leadership skills to drive sustainable transformational change;
3. Green Entrepreneurship Development component is seeking to ensure that youths in Africa are able to act as green entrepreneurs and create, innovate and develop solutions for sustainable livelihoods and economies; and the
4. Networking Platforms component is seeking to ensure that a vibrant coalition of Pan African youth networks are bringing transformational change towards sustainability.

Examples of some efforts and results:

• Get a glimpse of our work with youth in AYTH (PDF)

For more information contact: Susie.Broquist.lundegard@wwf.se