Our Capacity Building & Mentorship Programs
YIA, in collaboration with development partners and policymakers, provides continuous technical and soft skills training to strengthen and sustain youth-led businesses. Our programs equip young entrepreneurs with practical knowledge in business formalization, financial management, business development, supply chain management, packaging, international trade, marketing, and branding.
We also focus on essential soft skills such as time and resource management to help business owners operate efficiently and strategically. All trainings are delivered by industry professionals through both online and in-person formats, with digital tracking systems to monitor progress and evaluate impact.
Through these initiatives, we empower young entrepreneurs to enhance their competitiveness in local and global markets. Additionally, our children and youth mentorship segment nurtures early entrepreneurship by working with partners to provide age-appropriate programs that inspire and prepare the next generation of investors and innovators.
Why these programs?
In Tanzania, nearly 60% of the unemployed population are youth, and 84% of the workforce is low skilled, with 40% of local businesses citing lack of skills as a major constraint. Despite a rapidly growing working-age population and close to one million new entrants joining the labour market each year, job creation has not kept pace.
Most young people are pushed into informal, low-productivity activities with limited access to training or finance. This reality drives YIA’s commitment to equipping youth with the practical skills, mentorship, and opportunities needed to build sustainable businesses and thrive in a competitive economy.
- YIA builds essential business and technical skills to boost efficiency, financial literacy, and smart decision making.
- Through expert mentorship, members gain hands on guidance to overcome challenges and grow sustainably.
- Our training prepares youth for formal markets through lessons in branding, packaging, and trade standards.
- We nurture confidence and an entrepreneurial mindset, empowering youth to innovate and compete effectively.
