{"id":8550,"date":"2023-10-11T09:04:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T09:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/?page_id=8550"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:27:11","slug":"sep","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/sep\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Equity Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"8550\" class=\"elementor elementor-8550\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4ab70979 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"4ab70979\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2715681b\" data-id=\"2715681b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bd3d723 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-heading\" data-id=\"2bd3d723\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" ><div class=\"ekit-heading elementskit-section-title-wraper text_center   ekit_heading_tablet-   ekit_heading_mobile-\"><h2 class=\"ekit-heading--title elementskit-section-title \">Social Equity Program<\/h2><div class=\"ekit_heading_separetor_wraper ekit_heading_elementskit-border-divider\"><div class=\"elementskit-border-divider\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-250cd33f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"250cd33f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-45d6a05b\" data-id=\"45d6a05b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42d83075 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"42d83075\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Social Equity Program, an initiative by JA Africa and Z Zurich Foundation, is a cross-cutting entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness program for underserved young people aged 16-25 who might not be in education, entrepreneurship, or training. This program provides hands-on experiences and mentoring for starting and managing social enterprises or businesses that solve local community problems. The youth participating in this program collaborate on bringing change to themselves and their communities.<\/p>\n<p>It consists of leadership and entrepreneurship boot camps (4 days), completion of JA DEEP, development of social impact projects and business pitch competitions where the winners win seed funding and additional mentoring for their businesses. Skills gained include digital skills, design thinking, project management, financial accounting, and advocacy skills to drive systemic change.<\/p>\n<p>The main goal of the program is to identify and support underserved changemakers to build businesses which could be for-profit but also have a strong positive social impact that results in improved livelihoods, advances equity and inclusion of marginalized groups and contributes to building thriving communities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1249bebe\" data-id=\"1249bebe\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0262036 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0262036\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><i style=\"font-weight: normal\">Creating bright, boundless futures<\/i><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6efbbbc8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6efbbbc8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em><strong>&#8220;This unique project has challenged me to think outside the box. I now understand the importance of financial management in running a successful business. Many black-owned local businesses fail due to a lack of financial literacy. The program&#8217;s detailed financial approach sets it apart from other entrepreneurial programs. This experience has given me valuable hands-on business skills as a young aspiring business owner. Working in a team taught me the power of collaboration and critical thinking in finding efficient solutions to social issues in my country. This intervention has been life-changing, and I feel confident that I won&#8217;t face financial issues personally after being part of this transformative initiative.\u201d.&#8221; <\/strong><\/em><\/p><p><em><strong> &#8211;<\/strong> <strong>Neo Leipile, Kimberly Boys High, South Africa<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-635bb7c6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"635bb7c6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5e990168\" data-id=\"5e990168\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-21b0b0f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-heading\" data-id=\"21b0b0f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" ><div class=\"ekit-heading elementskit-section-title-wraper text_left   ekit_heading_tablet-   ekit_heading_mobile-\"><h2 class=\"ekit-heading--title elementskit-section-title \">Projected impact: 550,000<\/h2><div class=\"ekit_heading_separetor_wraper ekit_heading_elementskit-border-divider\"><div class=\"elementskit-border-divider\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2dfc2151 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2dfc2151\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Over the course of the next three years, this partnership will impact the lives of more than 550,000 young people across nine countries\u2014Burkina Faso, Congo, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda\u2014resulting in greater capacity in four current JA Africa countries and brand-new operations in five more.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-436b11e3\" data-id=\"436b11e3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c055cc8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"c055cc8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/watch?v=_9BaS4DegvA&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-544b99fc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"544b99fc\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-14e8ed86\" data-id=\"14e8ed86\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f8c018 elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-heading\" data-id=\"f8c018\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" ><div class=\"ekit-heading elementskit-section-title-wraper text_left   ekit_heading_tablet-   ekit_heading_mobile-\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/_9BaS4DegvA?si=ise937QGlFYpAwQl\"><h2 class=\"ekit-heading--title elementskit-section-title \">AFRINNOVATE YOUTH CHALLENGE (AYC)<\/h2><\/a><div class=\"ekit_heading_separetor_wraper ekit_heading_elementskit-border-divider\"><div class=\"elementskit-border-divider\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1321ee8b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1321ee8b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-682ee245\" data-id=\"682ee245\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8966d55 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8966d55\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:columns --><\/p><div class=\"wp-block-columns has-2-columns\"><div class=\"wp-block-column\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\" style=\"text-align: left;\">AfrInnovate Youth Challenge (AYC) is the annual culmination of the JA-ZZF Social Equity Program (SEP), a transformative initiative seeking to provide financial independence and equal economic participation opportunities to young Africans, empowering them to be catalysts for change. AYC celebrates the remarkable strides being made by these young Africans as they transform into budding social entrepreneurs who are pioneering tomorrow\u2019s solutions today.\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><p><!-- \/wp:image --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4c15e28 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4c15e28\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e4506b0\" data-id=\"e4506b0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-066dc7d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"066dc7d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0d786c0\" data-id=\"0d786c0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-959dc33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"959dc33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Supported by<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5590ce5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-client-logo\" data-id=\"5590ce5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-client-logo.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" >\t\t<div class=\"elementskit-clients-slider  simple_logo_image\" data-config=\"{&quot;rtl&quot;:false,&quot;arrows&quot;:false,&quot;dots&quot;:false,&quot;autoplay&quot;:true,&quot;speed&quot;:1000,&quot;slidesPerView&quot;:4,&quot;slidesPerGroup&quot;:1,&quot;pauseOnHover&quot;:true,&quot;loop&quot;:false,&quot;breakpoints&quot;:{&quot;320&quot;:{&quot;slidesPerView&quot;:1,&quot;slidesPerGroup&quot;:1,&quot;spaceBetween&quot;:10},&quot;768&quot;:{&quot;slidesPerView&quot;:2,&quot;slidesPerGroup&quot;:1,&quot;spaceBetween&quot;:10},&quot;1024&quot;:{&quot;slidesPerView&quot;:4,&quot;slidesPerGroup&quot;:1,&quot;spaceBetween&quot;:15}}}\" data-direction=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-main-swiper swiper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementskit-client-slider-item swiper-slide \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-client image-switcher\" title=\"ZZF\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content-image\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"681\" height=\"339\" src=\"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ZZF_Wordmark_Stacked_Color_RGB_0.png\" class=\"\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ZZF_Wordmark_Stacked_Color_RGB_0.png 681w, https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ZZF_Wordmark_Stacked_Color_RGB_0-300x149.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .elementskit-clients-slider END -->\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Social Equity Program The Social Equity Program, an initiative by JA Africa and Z Zurich Foundation, is a cross-cutting entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness program for underserved young people aged 16-25 who might not be in education, entrepreneurship, or training. This program provides hands-on experiences and mentoring for starting and managing social enterprises or &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/sep\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Social Equity Program<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8550","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8550"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10416,"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8550\/revisions\/10416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.ja-africa.org\/backend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}