Introduction
Youth unemployment in Kenya remains one of the country's most pressing socio-economic issues. Despite comprising over 35% of the population, Kenyan youth aged 15–34 face a staggering unemployment rate of approximately 67%, according to recent data from Statista. This ongoing crisis calls for innovative, inclusive, and youth-led interventions to bridge the employment gap and unlock meaningful opportunities for the next generation.
To address this challenge, the Mastercard Foundation has announced a Request for Expression of Interest (EOI) aimed at identifying a Youth-Enabling Organization to support in the recruitment, management, and development of Youth-Led Organizations (YLOs). This initiative is part of the broader Young Africa Works strategy, which seeks to enable 7 million young Kenyans—5 million of whom are women—to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
In this blog post, we explore the scope of this opportunity, including the eligibility criteria, key deliverables, and the application process for qualified organizations.
Why Mastercard Foundation Opportunities 2025 Kenya Matters
Youth Unemployment in Kenya:
The Harsh Reality
A variety of structural and systemic factors continue to limit youth employment in Kenya, including:
- A mismatch between educational training and labor market demands
- Insufficient career mentorship and life skills coaching
- Limited access to apprenticeships and on-the-job training
- Barriers to entrepreneurship, including restricted access to finance, networks, and business support services
- Marginalization of young women, refugees, and youth living with disabilities
The Role of Youth-Led Organizations (YLOs)
YLOs are uniquely positioned to offer grassroots-level insights and practical solutions to these challenges. Their proximity to the youth demographic gives them an unparalleled understanding of local realities, enabling them to design and implement interventions that are both impactful and inclusive.
Through this call, the Mastercard Foundation aims to elevate the voice of youth, scale up youth-led innovations, and build an ecosystem that prioritizes long-term, inclusive economic growth.
Scope of the Assignment
The selected Youth-Enabling Organization will collaborate directly with the Foundation’s Youth Engagement team to execute a variety of functions under this 3-year assignment (June 2025–June 2028), including:
1. Recruitment and Onboarding of YLOs
- Identify and recruit eligible Youth-Led Organizations across Kenya.
- Prioritize organizations led by young women, persons with disabilities, and refugees.
- Align selections with key sectors: Agrifood systems, Digital Economy, Entrepreneurship, Creative Economy, and Workforce Development.
2. Contracting and Financial Management
- Oversee contracting processes for selected YLOs.
- Ensure compliance with Mastercard Foundation's financial guidelines.
- Manage disbursement and utilization of funds transparently.
3. Program Oversight and Support
- Provide operational and strategic support while preserving the autonomy of YLOs.
- Ensure program fidelity, accountability, and youth ownership throughout implementation.
4. Learning and Knowledge Sharing
- Facilitate regular, participatory learning forums.
- Document key insights, success stories, and implementation challenges.
- Share findings with stakeholders to improve program delivery.
5. Capacity Building
- Deliver structured capacity-strengthening interventions.
- Provide mentorship, technical training, and advisory support.
- Enhance the impact and sustainability of youth-led programs.
Key Deliverables
Selected organizations will be expected to produce the following outputs:
- A detailed work plan for the program duration
- Execution roadmap for YLO program delivery
- Progress reports and impact documentation
- Final program report with learnings and recommendations
Who Should Apply?
To qualify, your organization must meet the following criteria:
Organizational Competencies
- Be Kenyan-led with proven national reach
- Demonstrated experience managing youth-centric programs in relevant sectors
- Proven expertise working with marginalized populations including women, refugees, and persons with disabilities
- Ability to deliver on large-scale donor-funded programs
Technical Strengths
- Deep knowledge of Financial Inclusion, Agri-Food Systems, Digital Economy, and Education-to-Employment Transitions
- Experience supporting grassroots YLOs with operational capacity building
- Robust systems for youth safeguarding, gender inclusion, and disability support
- Expertise in adaptive learning and data-driven program improvement
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be assessed based on the following:
| Criteria | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Relevancy, team expertise, and organizational track record | 20% |
| Experience in youth-centered fund and program management | 40% |
| Quality of proposed approach and work plan | 30% |
| Realism and suitability of proposed budget | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Application Requirements
Applicants are required to submit:
- Institutional Profile – Maximum 1 page
- Methodology Proposal – Clearly outline approach to deliver the assignment
- CVs of Key Team Members – Maximum 3 pages per person
- Proposed Budget – Outline estimated cost structure
All documents must be combined into a single PDF and submitted electronically no later than 6:00 PM EAT on June 30th, 2025.
How to Apply
Submit your complete Expression of Interest (EOI) package via email to:
Program Lead, Youth Engagement
For further details, applicants are encouraged to review the full Terms of Reference available at:
Mastercard Foundation Terms and Conditions
Why Your Organization Should Not Miss This
This is a rare and strategic opportunity to collaborate with a globally respected philanthropic organization committed to empowering young people across Africa. Beyond funding, successful applicants will gain:
- Long-term institutional capacity building
- National and international visibility
- Inclusion in a growing ecosystem of partners championing youth development in Kenya
Final Thoughts
Youth employment in Kenya cannot be solved by traditional models. It requires innovation, inclusion, and intentional investment in young people and their ideas. If your organization has the capacity, experience, and passion to drive change, this is your moment to make a tangible impact.
Help build a future where Kenyan youth are not just job seekers—but job creators, innovators, and changemakers.
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