Request for Expression of Interest: Youth Enabling Organization to Support Youth-Led Organizations in Kenya

📖 About the Opportunity

The Mastercard Foundation is seeking to contract a Youth Enabling Organization to collaborate closely with the Youth Engagement team in managing Youth-Led Organizations (YLOs) in Kenya. This assignment will focus on YLOs’ mapping and recruitment, onboarding, contracting, monitoring, evaluation, learning (MEL), and overall program management during the program period.

General Description of the Assignment

The Mastercard Foundation in Kenya, through its Young Africa Works strategy, aims to enable 7 million young people—5 million of whom are young women—to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. A core part of this strategy is the Foundation’s deep commitment to partnering with youth-led organizations, recognizing their vital role in reaching and empowering Kenya’s most marginalized young women and men.

Youth-led organizations are uniquely positioned to drive transformative change and innovation. They bring firsthand insight into the challenges faced by young people and are critical in designing and delivering relevant, inclusive, and impactful solutions. The partnership with youth-led organizations focuses on the following key areas:

1. Education and Skills Development – Providing young people with the knowledge and practical skills needed for employment and entrepreneurship.
2. Financial Inclusion – Expanding youth access to financial services and tools to support their economic empowerment.
3. Youth Employment – Promoting inclusive job creation in high-potential sectors such as agriculture, construction, and technology.
4. Disability Inclusion – Ensuring young people with disabilities have equal access to education, training, and work opportunities.
5. Gender Equality – Addressing systemic barriers faced by young women in accessing education, employment, and leadership opportunities.

🌍 Context and Challenges

In Kenya, youth aged 15–34 years constitute approximately 35% of the population, yet the youth unemployment rate remains alarmingly high—estimated at 67% according to Statista. This crisis is fueled by a complex interplay of factors, including:

• Mismatch between skills acquired and market needs, particularly in sectors driving future employment such as agriculture, technology, and entrepreneurship.
• Shortage of life skills, mentorship, and career guidance, limiting young people's ability to transition from education to work.
• Limited access to apprenticeship and practical training opportunities that build real-world experience.
• Weak enabling environments for youth entrepreneurship and innovation, compounded by poor access to capital, networks, and business development support.

These structural barriers disproportionately affect young women, refugees, and youth with disabilities, making inclusive and youth-centered solutions essential.

🎯 Objective of the Call for Expression of Interest

The Mastercard Foundation seeks to contract a Youth Enabling Organization to:

• Collaborate closely with the Youth Engagement team.
• Manage Youth-Led Organizations in Kenya.
• Focus on YLOs’ mapping, recruitment, onboarding, contracting, MEL, and overall program management.

🔧 Scope of Work

The selected Kenyan-based organization or consultancy firm will support the Youth Engagement team in:

1. Recruitment and Onboarding of Youth-Led Organizations (YLOs):
   Identify, recruit, and onboard YLOs across Kenya, prioritizing those led by young women, refugees, and persons with disabilities. Selected YLOs should align with the strategic priorities of the Kenya Country Program, including Agrifood systems, Digital Economy, Entrepreneurship, Creatives, and Workforce Development.

2. Contracting, Funds Disbursement, and Management:
   Assess, contract, and disburse approved funding to onboarded YLOs. Oversee the utilization of program funds, ensuring compliance with Mastercard Foundation’s financial guidelines, policies, and reporting standards.

3. Oversight and Support During Implementation:
   Provide operational guidance and support while ensuring YLOs maintain independence, voice, and agency in leading and implementing their programs.

4. Facilitation of Learning Forums and Knowledge Sharing:
   Design and lead youth-centered, participatory learning sessions. Document key lessons, success stories, and challenges throughout the implementation period.

5. Coordination of Capacity Building:
   Strengthen YLOs to ensure they are effective in delivering their work and mandate, contributing to enabling young people into dignified and fulfilling work.

📋 Key Deliverables

1. A draft work plan for the YLO program period.
2. Initial guidance on the execution of the YLO program.
3. Mentorship and management of YLOs for impact.
4. Documentation of learnings.
5. Submission of a final program report.
6. Other support as required within the available time.

📆 Duration of Assignment

The assignment will run for 3 years: June 2025 – June 2028.

🎁 Benefits

By partnering with these organizations, the Mastercard Foundation seeks to:

• Amplify youth voices.
• Support locally driven innovation.
• Scale up efforts that unlock meaningful work opportunities for all young people.

✅ Requirements

The ideal organization should meet the following criteria:

• Be a Kenyan-led organization/firm experienced in leading innovative youth-centric programming in sectors such as financial inclusion, agrifood systems, education, creatives, and the digital economy.
• Demonstrated experience in working with young women and men and managing youth-focused programs.
• Proven experience in providing technical support to youth-based community organizations, women’s rights organizations, and youth-led organizations.
• Considerable national reach and coverage of designated geographic areas and sectors of the Foundation’s programs.
• Substantial experience advocating for youth voices across the project cycle, including monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning.
• Ability to program with and for young people.
• Technical knowledge in the Foundation’s sectoral areas and a deep understanding of resilience concepts and sustainable development.
• Proven track record of working with marginalized populations, including refugees and persons with disabilities.

📝 Application Process

What to Submit:

• A brief (1-page) institutional profile outlining the organization’s relevant experience and qualifications.
• A detailed methodology proposal outlining how the organization will deliver on key tasks described above.
• Profiles and CVs (max 3 pages) for key team members involved in the project.
• Proposed line budget.

Submission Guidelines:

• Combine all documents into one PDF file.
• Submit electronic copies of the technical and financial proposals by 6 PM EAT on June 30, 2025.
• The technical proposal should not exceed 7 pages.

Contact Information:

For inquiries, contact:

• Program Lead, Youth Engagement
  Email: sowiti@mastercardfdn.org
  Copy: jmburu@mastercardfdn.org

📅 Application Deadline

30 June, 2025

🌐 Additional Information

For further details, visit:
Mastercard Foundation Expression of Interest

Apply here:
Request for Expression of Interest

This opportunity represents a significant step toward empowering youth-led organizations and addressing systemic barriers to youth employment and inclusion in Kenya.

• By partnering with these organizations, the Foundation seeks to amplify youth voices,
• support locally driven innovation, and
• scale up efforts that unlock meaningful work opportunities for all young people.