The Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF) is proud to be part of a new, impactful initiative supported by Expertise France, in partnership with Youth Cafe, to implement the Africa–Europe Youth Academy (AEYA). Within the AEYA framework, the project will strengthen youth organizations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia by supporting the creation and development of “Spaces for Youth”, safe, inclusive, and empowering environments where young people can grow into leaders in sustainable development.
AEYA is a flagship programme of the European Union, implemented by Expertise France in partnership with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). The academy aims to enhance the role of young people aged 18–30 as agents of sustainable development while building bridges between Africa and Europe. Anchored in the Global Gateway Africa–Europe Investment Package, AEYA aligns with key priorities including youth empowerment, climate resilience, digital transformation, inclusive governance, and peacebuilding. In this context, Youth Cafe and partners, which include SAYoF, have been selected to implement AEYA regional Lot 3: East & Southern Africa.
Under AEYA, Spaces for Youth will provide platforms that enable young people to actively shape their futures through leadership development, innovation, and participation in sustainable development efforts. During the launch of the initiative recently in Kenya, the Government of the Republic of Kenya reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment and leadership development during the contract signing ceremony for the AEYA project, held at Kitisuru Gardens in Nairobi on May 8, 2026. The ceremony marked the formal commencement of the partnership between Youth Cafe and Partners and Expertise France under the auspices of the European Union.
Speaking during the event, in remarks read by Secretary for Youth Development Dr. Josephine Etenyi, Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs described the initiative as a milestone for strengthening youth participation across Africa and Europe. “The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports remains fully committed to supporting platforms that empower young people through innovation, leadership, creativity, and meaningful participation in national development,” said Fikirini. She emphasized the importance of creating inclusive environments that help young people unlock their potential and actively contribute to economic and national transformation.
The event focused on AEYA Lot 2 (Central Africa) and Lot 3 (East & Southern Africa), with organizers noting that the programme will provide approximately €621,000 in sub-grants to youth-led organizations across 11 target countries. The funding is expected to support initiatives promoting resilience, green jobs, and digital futures for young people, while strengthening young people’s role as contributors to social transformation and sustainable development.
Hosted at the Youth Cafe offices in Kitisuru Gardens, the ceremony brought together representatives from European Union delegations, the Embassy of France, the Embassy of Italy, government officials, partners, and stakeholders from the youth and creative economy sectors. Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Hon. Salim Mvurya was represented by Secretary for Youth Development Dr. Josephine Etenyi and also in attendance was the the National Coordinator for NYOTA Project, Mr. Augustine Mayabi.
As implementation begins, SAYoF joins Youth Cafe, Expertise France , EU , partners and all stakeholders in welcoming AEYA’s promise to strengthen regional cooperation and create opportunities for young leaders to engage in policy dialogue, innovation, and sustainable development across Africa.
