Our team is made up of 99% local experts who understand the unique needs and challenges of young people in their communities. With deep insights into each country’s dynamics, they bring invaluable expertise and dedication to our cause.

The Young Africa International team provides essential support and coordination  across all our centres and training locations. Together, we are the Young Africa Federation: over 150 passionate professionals across six countries, united by a commitment to empower youth. Each team member has a unique contribution to the larger impact we strive to achieve, fostering lasting change and development for the next generation.

In every country we work in, a local team leads the work. We’re proud that 100% of our directors are women.

Young Africa began with a simple but powerful vision: to empower youth through skills training and opportunities. In 1998, Raj A. Joseph and Dorien Beurskens founded Young Africa. They started the organisation with a start-up capital of only $1,500. We opened our first training centre in Zimbabwe, laying the foundation for what would become a far-reaching mission across the continent. 

In 2019, we opened the Young Africa International founding office based in Amsterdam. This office continues to serve as an integral and supportive partner of Young Africa.

In 2024, we achieved another milestone by transforming from a confederation into a federation—a structure that strengthens our unity while honouring each country’s particular context. In this year, our commitment led to expansion into Nigeria and Angola, after Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. 

Young Africa is proud to work hand-in-hand with communities across Angola, Namibia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—each a unique landscape with its own story, challenges, and opportunities. Deeply rooted in these communities, Young Africa Affiliates and their partner organisations bring our integrated youth empowerment models directly to those who need them most.

Recognising the rapid growth of youth populations in many sub-Saharan African countries and the immense need for high-level education and training, we are committed to continuously expanding our reach to more communities in new geographies across Africa. With a concrete plan in place, Young Africa is poised to expand into more countries, offering vital support, empowerment, and opportunities to the next generations.

Young Africa International is managed by co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Dorien Beurskens, who, with the Head of Programmes, Mahara Goteka, and Head of Operations, Phillip Wannell, form the Managing Board. The Managing Board leads the team at the headquarters in Harare and the founding and supporting office in Amsterdam.