Kenya, like other African countries, has a youth unemployment issue. In a country where 60% of the population are under 35, the high rate of unemployment amongst youth has a significant impact on the country’s economy as well as its future prospects for growth. According to Shujaaz, a nairobi-based social venture that carries out youth research, Kenya’s “formal job market can absorb less than 10% of labour-market entrants and youth are expected to create their own jobs in the informal sector.” Yet many do not see agriculture as a viable career opportunity for themselves.

Rwanda offers a case study for what investment in space science looks like on the continent. In 2021, the government launched the Rwanda Space Agency (RSA) with a focus on developing Rwanda’s space sector towards socio-economic development. Integral in RSA’s mandate is to foster and create entrepreneurial ingenuity and industrial development that can create globally competitive commercial products for various space activities. The agency also wants to build a cadre of highly skilled Rwandan professionals in the space industry.

Africa Day, commemorated today on May 25th, offers a chance to recognise all things Africa(n) and forms the basis of a larger trend that celebrates the month of May as #AfricaMonth. From music to sports to technology and science, Africans continue to make their mark on the global stage and there is no shortage of achievements to be recognised or celebrated during this period. As a research institution, the Mawazo Institute takes special notice of the crucial role that Africa’s researchers are playing in the telling of the African story.