In a significant recognition of its transformative work with young people in Ghana, YOTA – Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa has been prominently featured in the King’s Trust International’s (KTI) 2024 Impact Report. The report, which documents KTI’s global reach across 18 countries, specifically highlights YOTA’s successful implementation of two key programmes: the Get Into Hospitality programme and the Enterprise Challenge.
Transforming Lives Through Hospitality Training
The report features a powerful success story from YOTA’s Get Into Hospitality programme, showcasing how the initiative has created life-changing pathways to employment for vulnerable youth. One standout narrative is that of Awushetu, a 28-year-old single mother who was homeless and sleeping on the streets before joining the programme.
Expelled from school after becoming pregnant, Awushetu had been surviving through odd jobs in the market with no stable income or housing. The Get Into Hospitality programme, delivered by YOTA in partnership with KTI, equipped her with essential skills and rebuilt her self-confidence. This transformation led to immediate employment as a receptionist at a local guest house, providing her with both stable income and secure accommodation.
“I want to be living proof that it is possible to rise above one’s circumstances and achieve success,” Awushetu is quoted as saying in the report.
Fostering Green Entrepreneurship
The report also highlights YOTA’s role in implementing the Enterprise Challenge programme, which focuses on developing entrepreneurship skills with a particular emphasis on sustainability and environmental awareness. With a specific green focus in Ghana, the programme encourages young people to develop business ideas that address environmental challenges.
According to the report, Enterprise Challenge participants from Ghana presented innovative eco-friendly business concepts, including coconut husk crockery, sawdust beanbags, and systems for generating biogas from organic waste. The winning team from Ghana, Eco Roots Culinary, developed a concept for bamboo cutlery and received 10,000 Ghanaian cedis (approximately £500) as seed funding to further explore their idea.
The report notes that 88% of Enterprise Challenge participants worldwide reported being more likely to consider green business opportunities or jobs after participating in the programme.
Broader Impact and Future Prospects
KTI’s report reveals impressive outcomes across its employment programmes globally, with 74% of participants finding work or entering training within three months of programme completion. The Get Into programme specifically has demonstrated strong results in various sectors, from hospitality to renewable energy.
The partnership between YOTA and KTI represents a successful model of collaboration that addresses both youth unemployment and environmental sustainability, two critical challenges facing Ghana and the broader African continent.
This recognition in KTI’s global impact report positions YOTA as a key player in youth development and sustainable entrepreneurship in Ghana, with programmes that deliver measurable outcomes for vulnerable young people while nurturing green innovation.
To download the full King’s Trust International 2024 Impact Report, visit here.
