The International Youth Foundation (IYF) in partnership with USAID and Mastercard foundation has a long term project, the first ever Youth Social Innovation programme intended to enhance the knowledge leadership skills and opportunities for young leaders across Africa. The project will support young social entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-29 who have ventures that demonstrate impact on their communities. The project known as YouthActionNet has a mission of strengthening and scaling up the impact of the youth social ventures around the world.

The project provides training, funding and networking opportunities for social entrepreneurs. This foundation works in partnership with local institutions like universities, foundations or individuals who they find to be like minded in their mission.

In Africa, the project is being divided into two one from the Francophone countries which be based in Senegal and the other for the Anglophone countries based in Uganda. The Anglophone will be coordinated by the Entrepreneurship Centre based at MUBS. MUBS is going to be working with different institutions in Africa to identify the youth that will be trained primarily through virtual learning and whose projects will be supported by the YoutActionNet.

A web portal will be developed for each of the groups and both of them are expected to impact up to 50 youth led organizations. Well selected participants will be trained to improve their leadership skills and they will be given an opportunity to popularize their projects in their respective countries.

Signing the MoU, Professor Balunywa commended the effort of the International Youth Foundation in improving the status of youth. He noted that social entrepreneurship was increasingly becoming one of the avenues for empowering young people. Jessica Elisberg, the Programme Manager who was in Kampala to sign the agreement, promised that the project would deliver good results that would empower young people. The project will be managed by the Entrepreneurship Centre in collaboration with both the MUBS leadership and ICT Centres.