In order to realise a resilient Africa as envisioned in Agenda 2063, maximizing youth participation in all developmental programmes is key for the African continent. African youth are catalyst to Africa’s Development. However, an enabling system which is committed to their ambitions and innovations, develop their skills and knowledge and a conducive ground to exercise their contribution is necessary.

African Union – Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC) is a continental developmental programme which engage and recruits African young professionals hailing from 55 AU member state. The initiative is part of the “One Million by 2021” youth initiative programme, which support the employment prospects of young Africans by connecting them to new professional internships and apprenticeships opportunities, job centres and digital skills programs, to allow African youth to learn professional skills and contextualise their learning within the world of work.

It also addresses the challenges faced by young professionals who are estimated to about estimated 83% of the 11 million Africans entering the job market every year and not able to find formal wage paying jobs due to lack of practical experience and requirements for the labour market.

The “One Million by 2021” Initiative aims to work together to tackle the problems faced by African Youth today, and consider sustainable solutions for the future to support building The Africa We Want.

Hence, the Young professional youth volunteer corps programme allows the AU to convoke qualified African young professionals to participate and obtain placement for employment at various African Union Offices on the continent and diaspora. These professionals are placed after a competitive recruitment process and remunerated accordingly.

As part of the initiative, AFREC recruits and place skilled Youth graduates annually, to provide on-hand professional experience, insightful lessons, and mentorship since 2019. The Commission recognises the contributions of youth in delivery results and fulfilling its mandate, by enhancing capacity and strengthening project implementations impact through innovative approaches to achieve impactful result. The aspiration to learn and be innovative stimulates AFREC staff dynamic in general.

To date, AFREC has benefitted from this initiative receiving two (2) young professional in 20/2020 from Cote D’Ivoire and Kenya, and currently hosting three (3) from Botswana and Niger.

AFREC therefore strongly encourage motivated & skilled youth professionals to seize the professional opportunities to catalyse the growth of Africa development and capacity building, within the spirit of Unity and Pan Africanism. To learn more and apply for AU-YV opportunities please visit: https://auyvc.africa-union.org.

Below, hear from our current youth corps at AFREC, sharing their experience and how they are contributing to Africa energy development and building the ‘Africa We Want’, in pursuit of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

Kaitirire Mbaeva: Energy Information System Officer

About yourself and Background: I hail from Botswana and currently serving as an Energy Information System Specialist at African Energy Commission (AFREC). I hold a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Computing, from Botho University in Botswana, majoring in Network and Infrastructure Management.

I have three (3) years of experience and has had the opportunity working in various government sectors. In 2017, I worked as a Network System Administrator at the Ministry of Agricultural Development & Food Security in Charleshill, selecting features, optimizing classifiers, mining and improving data collection techniques, processing data, and system analysis. I also worked as an IT System Administrator at Montsamaisa Junior Secondary School.

I ‘ve also had the privilege to participate in the African Union Youth Volunteer Corps pre-deployment orientation training that took place in Cairo, Egypt (2019), developing Pan African Orientation, Mainstreaming African Union Policies & Priorities, Enhancing of personal & professional leadership skills, and Creating lasting impacts through youth mainstreaming & volunteer work.

What prompted you to volunteer?

Volunteering to me means being able to do what is required with love and passion regardless of payment or reward. This has been one of my lifelong aspirations since I was born, as I began volunteering in my family and community at a young age. Enthusiasm, dedication, and hard work are three values I hold dear as I strive to be a great representative and ambassador of the AFREC and AU community.

Describe how your volunteering experience with AFREC is contributing to your professional growth and development including what you have learnt?

Volunteering with AFREC taught me flexibility, intercultural fluency, independence, and a more comprehensive understanding of global issues. These factors are enhances employability in my next professional career, hence, my aspiration is to build a network of professionals so that I can be a mentor and role model for young people in my country.

What did/are you enjoying most during your volunteering tenure?

I enjoy meeting new people with diverse perspectives and experiences, and I have broadened my interests and hobbies as a result of these volunteer programs.

How do you see the AU volunteerism contribution to general talent, skills management and development of youth in Africa?

One of the reasons I joined the African Union is that today’s African youth face plenty of issues. The most serious of which is a lack of platforms to turn their ideas into reality. As a result, AUYVC is a fantastic platform where we (African youth) can cultivate what is already there (learning and sharing experiences). This will also facilitate and strengthen youth participation in decision-making at the local, national, and continental levels, in my opinion. We (the youth) are the future’s drivers; we require such platforms to construct national, regional, and international networks for technological collaboration.

What are your future plans prior to the end of your volunteering journey?

I adore Africa, and one of my greatest dreams and ambitions is to use my energy, networks, talents, and sheer brilliance to help Botswana and Africa realize their full potential during my lifetime. Prior to the end of my volunteer journey, I want to teach future generations the value of volunteerism and possibly open my own NGO to mentor young people in my community. Mentorship is a form of leadership, and I believe I was born to lead.

What do you think can be done by AFREC/AU to better/improve the experience of future volunteer corps?

One concerning aspect of volunteering is that volunteers are generally regarded as low-level members of the organizational totem pole. Mentioning a few things that I believe AU should improve on: having access to few resources such as AU passports limits our travels, communication is essential, and AU personnel’s sometimes take a longer time to assist us volunteers when we have queries.

What advice would you give to prospective youth volunteer corps in Africa?

I would like to emphasize, especially to today’s youth, that Africa is on the move. You are poised to play a larger role in this world-as the shadows of the past fade and are replaced by the light that you bring to an increasingly interconnected world. Let us work together to create the Africa we want.

What is the most interesting thing about yourself?

I am one-of-a-kind, no one else is like me. I am a person who is easily adaptable, gets along well with others, and I am a fast learner.

Olerato Mathodi: Communication and Information Officer

About yourself and Background: I am from Botswana, I hold a BA (Hons) Degree in Broadcasting & Journalism. I am also a Social Entrepreneur and the Founder of Volunteer Hub, an organization that works to contribute to the socio-economic and environmental challenges in Botswana and promotes leadership driven by promoting volunteerism and its impact.
I am currently deployed virtually, serving as a Communication and Information Officer at the African Union African Energy Commission (AFREC) of the African Union in Algeria, through the African Union Youth Volunteer Corp program (AU – YVC).

What prompted you to volunteer?

I am driven to volunteer to attain self and professional growth, to become independent, whilst contributing to the development of my country and the African continent at large.

Describe how your volunteering experience with AFREC is contributing to your professional growth and development including, what you have learnt?

AFREC is shaping and molding my skills to become a professional communication strategist. I am exposed and participate in various policy development opportunities, documentation, and writing.

How does AFREC volunteering opportunity interlink with your future career/aspiration?

I aspire to become a Communication Specialist in Development & Diplomacy. In the short-term, I plan to continue with my studies to acquire a master’s degree in media, communication & development. As a founder of the Volunteer Hub, I will also continue to drive development initiatives through media, communication, and impact volunteering. With AFREC, I am gaining experience which will not only set a foundation for my aspirations, but also contributing towards the development work I am engaged in.

What did/are you enjoying most during your volunteering tenure?

The opportunity to work along and learn from highly experienced stakeholders, having the opportunity to be treated as part of the organization where it does not feel like I am “Just a Volunteer”, but my contributions are valued.

How do you see the AU volunteering contribution to general talent, skills management and development of youth in Africa?

I see it as a foundation to achieve the AU Agenda 2063 Aspiration 1 & 6: Where all youth will have equal opportunities to sustainable jobs and be included in decision makings and the UN-SDG 8: Sustainable Growth and Employment.

What are your future plans prior to the end of your volunteering journey?

Prior to the end of my volunteering journey I would like to see an improvement in my confidence in relation to the work that I do. I would also like to contribute with impact and leave a legacy.

What do you think can be done by AFREC/AU to better/improve the experience of future volunteer corps?

AFREC and the AU can advance more opportunities tailored to challenge their volunteering skills, beyond their day-to-day work experience.

What advice would you give to prospective youth volunteer corps in Africa?

The Volunteer Corp is a great program for youth who are looking at gaining experience and advancing their careers. It is also a great platform to understand Africa better and create initiatives which can advance “the Africa we want” agenda.

What is the most interesting thing about yourself?

The interesting thing about myself is that I do not think that I am interesting! I can be funny sometimes though.

Any other information you would like to add?

One of the great opportunities that the AUYVC has afforded me is being Co-opted member of the African Union Volunteer Steering Committee. As the Founder of Volunteer Hub, I advocate for volunteerism.

Amadou Abdou M. Salissou: Energy Policy Officer

About yourself and background: I am 27 years old from Niger, and deployed at AFREC as a Policy Officer for Energy.

I am an electrical and energy engineer, with a M.Sc. Electrical and Power Engineering, specialising in renewable energy. Previously I have worked with the Nigerian Electricity Company (NIGELEC), the National Center for Solar Energy (CNES) and the Air Mining Company (SOMAIR, ORANO) as an engineering intern and also as Design and control engineer in energy and refrigeration and air conditioning with EOM-SNELTE. I have also worked as an assistant consultant for the PP2E project (Project for the promotion of education and employment) where I was part of the team which carried out a technical study for the extension of the electric network in the urban commune of Arlit in Niger. I am also a temporary teacher at the School of Mines, Industry and Geology (EMIG) in Niamey.

What prompted you to volunteer?

When you are young and from a disadvantaged background, you instinctively develop an attitude of wanting to help others, to make a positive impact in your community. I began volunteering as a student during my studies to help other students and this experience has led me to volunteering with the African Union.

Describe how your volunteering experience with AFREC is contributing to your professional growth and development including what you have learnt?

I work on various AFREC flagship programmes which are clearly aligned with my field of work. I have been able to contribute to the work of the team by:

• Writing reports for a high-level audience,
  policy development in the energy sector,
• Collaborating with other institutions to perform joint efforts and initiatives,
• Monitoring tasks assigned to third parties to ensure effective delivery of results and
• Participate in high-level meetings with country officials, which provide me an opportunity to participate in high level decision making forums and broaden my understanding of issue at high level.

How does AFREC volunteering opportunity interlink with your future career/aspiration?

As a renewable energy engineer, the work I do at AFREC is directly relevant to my professional skills and I think it adds to my professional experience by allowing me to function at a continental and international level.

What did/are you enjoying most during your volunteering tenure?

I greatly appreciate the high level meetings which AFREC organise. Through these meetings I‘ve learnt a lot about how energy matters are conceptualised by experts and policy makers who are trying to find solutions related to energy challenges facing our continent.

How do you see the AU volunteering contribution to general talent, skills management and development of youth in Africa?

The African Union volunteer program is a commendable programme. It has enabled the professional development of many youth and continue to improve gradually. This programme allows young people to practice their professional skills and acquire additional international knowledge in their fields at the highest level of decision making. Through this program, young people are considered and above all, they acquire enriching experiences by working with experts across the continent.

What are your future plans prior to the end of your volunteering journey?

I see myself working with AFREC to assist in contributing and attaining AFREC mandate, by implementing its programmes in an effective manner. Furthermore, I would like to see myself working with various energy policy makers to further sharpen my knowledge in the field and implement what I have learned during my time at AFREC.

What do you think can be done by AFREC/AU to better/improve the experience of future volunteer corps?
I think young volunteers should have more responsibility. This will help to make them gain the adequate skills and knowledge required.

What advice would you give to prospective youth volunteer corps in Africa?

I would advise them to improve in their field, to be adventurous and especially to seek for opportunities which can have a positive impact in their communities.

What is the most interesting thing about yourself?

I am a passionate person. When I’m passionate about something, I invest myself completely until a solution or secret behind it is discovered. I am adventurous too.