Welcome to
Creating space for young Africans to shape resilient, inclusive futures.
The Youth in Systems Change Programme is a flagship initiative of RIAHSAH Co. designed to equip young people across Africa with the skills, mindset, and opportunities to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Through capacity building, mentorship, and youth-led projects, the programme addresses unemployment while tackling interconnected community challenges such as waste, sanitation, and climate resilience.
Hosted on Systems Futures, the programme offers a space for active, applied, and community-driven learning. Participants engage in real-world projects, from digital entrepreneurship to climate innovation, building practical skills and confidence to influence the systems they live and work in.
The journey began with Youth@Work, a multi-country initiative in Kenya and South Africa where young people designed inclusive responses to unemployment and social challenges.
Building on its lessons, Youth in Systems Change expands this work, exploring the deeper systems shaping issues like joblessness, waste, and climate vulnerability, and equipping young Africans with the skills to shape the future of work, environment, and technology.
The programme brings together multiple interconnected initiatives under one ecosystem of learning and action.
Youth@Work is expanding by creating 4,050 new work opportunities for young people aged 18–35 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia by scaling RIAHSAH Co.’s Collaborative & Innovative Design (CID) model through nine Youth-Led Organisations (YLOs). A hands-on, cohort model that equips youth to co-design, prototype, test and launch circular, income-generating micro-ventures quickly by blending participatory design, systems thinking, circular design, and lean business prototyping.
YouthInWaste is a youth-led innovation programme tackling urban waste challenges through circular economy thinking and green enterprise. YouthInWaste equips participants to build sustainable ventures in recycling, reuse, and waste innovation creating jobs and environmental solutions for African cities.
This is a research and practice initiative exploring how youth can thrive in emerging sectors. It focuses on AI, digital entrepreneurship, and green innovation, helping young professionals identify and seize new opportunities in a rapidly evolving economy.
The Youth in Systems Change Hub is the space that hosts the Programme within the Systems Futures community. The Hub is designed as an interactive learning community and an ecosystem of shared practice.
Youth engage through:
Interactive Forums & Showcases: Monthly themed discussions, digital galleries, and storytelling sessions featuring youth innovations.
Learning Labs & Webinars: Hands-on, expert-led sessions on systems thinking, foresight, and entrepreneurship.
Resource Library: A living collection of toolkits, guides, and funding opportunities supporting youth-led innovation.
Mentorship Circles: Structured peer and mentor relationships, connecting youth to professionals and Youth@Work alumni.
Collaborative Projects: Co-designed initiatives addressing real-world challenges in waste management, climate resilience, and future skills.
Facilitate peer learning among young changemakers across Africa.
Support youth in designing and testing innovative, scalable solutions.
Provide access to resources such as toolkits and guides for project and business development, including funding opportunities.
Provide mentorship and access to networks.
Amplify youth voices, showcase youth-led solutions through digital storytelling and regional showcases.
The Youth in Systems Change Programme aims to create measurable, lasting change through:
Increased knowledge and foresight literacy among youth leaders.
Stronger ecosystems for collaboration and innovation.
Visible youth-led models addressing unemployment, waste, and social impact.
A continent-wide community of practice for systems change.
The Youth in Systems Change Hub is open to young people, mentors, partners, and organisations passionate about transforming Africa’s systems. Whether you’re building a social venture, researching emerging trends, or simply curious about how to make lasting impact, there’s a place for you here.
Join the Community and Follow the Youth in Systems Change Topic to be involved in the Hub Activities
+27 68 370 2689 | +243 827 322 543
www.riahsah.com
info@riahsah.com
11 School Street, Somerset West,
Cape Town, 7130, South Africa
N°01 Avenue Colonel Ebeya, Quartier Golf
Commune de la Gombe
Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo