USADF builds pathways to self-reliance and prosperity by taking the lead from African social entrepreneurs and enterprises on their development needs and solutions.
Over the past five year period (2019-2023), USADF awarded US$24.3 million in grants to over 500 African enterprises for job training and placement programs, allowing women and youth to obtain new skills and better increased chances to secure employment. USADF also provided funding to social entrepreneurs to start and scale businesses and create employment opportunities in their communities.
A Focus on Youth and Women Entrepreneurship and Job Training
USADF selects Africa’s top young entrepreneurs from the U.S. Government’s Mandela Washington Fellowship — the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) — to receive catalytic seed funding through highly competitive business plan competitions. Since 2014 in nearly 40 African countries we have invested over US$6 million in more than 285 YALI entrepreneurs’ social enterprises, in partnership with Citi Foundation.
Through a U.S. Government partnership with the U.S. Department of State, we are providing up to US$10 million in catalytic seed funding to promising African women graduates of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) between 2020 and 2025.