The Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at Wits Business School has launched a major Pan-African Youth Competition, marking a significant effort to translate academic work into public action. This initiative is a core component of a broader project dedicated to exploring dignified and fulfilling job creation for young Africans, specifically analyzing the pivotal role of the non-profit sector. The project receives crucial financial backing and support from one of CAPSI’s key partners.
The competition is a direct call to action for dynamic teams and youth-led organizations—those fully owned and managed by young people between the ages of 18 and 35. Their central task is to transform complex data into compelling, accessible, and shareable content. Participants are challenged to creatively disseminate the key findings from a recent study covering 17 African countries, highlighting the non-profit sector’s immense, often underappreciated, contribution to meaningful youth employment opportunities.
To maximize its reach and relevance, CAPSI strongly encourages proposals utilizing creative and tech-savvy formats that speak directly to contemporary youth audiences. The accepted formats cover a broad spectrum of media, ensuring innovators can use their best skills:
- Digital Media: Short films, engaging animations, and documentaries.
- Visual Arts: Clear infographics, thought-provoking illustrations, and photography series.
- Performing Arts: Creative spoken word pieces, dynamic music videos, and dance performances.
- Interactive Media: Accessible podcasts, engaging apps, educational games, and web storytelling.
- Writing: Informative blogs, relatable short stories, and powerful narrative journalism pieces.
The competition is geographically inclusive and competitive, running across Africa’s four main regions: North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa. By doing this, the initiative not only champions African talent but also ensures that the resulting creative outputs are culturally contextualized, effectively amplifying youth voices and influencing policy discussions about the future of work across the entire continent.
Selection Process:
- After the submission of proposals, shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews with the review panel.
- Shortlisted teams/organisations will also be required to present samples of their proposed work to demonstrate capacity and creativity before final selection.
Location:
OnlineBenefits
- $32 000 awarded to four winning proposals, representing Southern Africa, East Africa, North Africa, and West Africa. The award will be paid in two stages :
- $5,000 upon awarding the prize
- $27,000 disbursed in subsequent tranches, linked to different stages of the project’s development and delivery
- Note: The amount is $32,000 per team (for Southern Africa, East Africa, North Africa, and West Africa), totaling $128,000 overall. In addition to financial awards, winners will gain mentorship, visibility on CAPSI platforms and partner networks, and opportunities to present their work at policy and donor forums across Africa.
Eligibilities
- Applications must be submitted by teams or organisations owned and managed by young people (18–35 years old). A vetting process will be conducted, and entrants will be required to provide valid identification. Any false information, including misrepresentation of age, will result in immediate disqualification.
- Preference will be given to applicants from the 17 project countries.
- Applications can be submitted in any of the following languages: English, French, Portuguese and Arabic.
Application Process
Applications should be submitted via the online portal
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025 (8 Hours Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
