Empowering over 5,000 youth in Africa to build their entrepreneurial and employability skills 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 January 2021: INJAZ Al-Arab, a member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide, the world’s largest non-profit business education organization, has announced the strengthening of its partnership with Boeing. The partnership expansion, which falls under the Entrepreneurship & Work-readiness pillars, will empower over 5,000 youth in Africa, expanding into Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritania, Nigeria, Sudan, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Through this collaboration with Boeing, INJAZ Al-Arab and JA Africa will offer participants an interactive learning journey that includes different JA core programs such as Innovation Day Camps, Entrepreneurship Education, and Economic Success. In Tanzania, the partnership will focus on supporting 100 Tanzanian youth through Innovation Day Camps, while the program in Mozambique will focus on digital entrepreneurship education of 400 students. Both Mauritania and Sudan programs will empower youth to own their economic success, with 100 and 200 students targeted respectively. In Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo the focus  will be on digital entrepreneurship education priorities across youth, while in Nigeria the program aims to build the capacities of tomorrow’s leaders.

Commenting on the partnership Akef Aqrabawi, President & CEO of INJAZ Al-Arab, said: “The way in which we work continues to transform the world around us, with rapid digitalization driving changes across the globe. In keeping with our commitment to inspire and empower the leaders of tomorrow, we are delighted to be expanding our long-term partnership with Boeing, strengthening the reach of our efforts, and driving change across Sub-Sharan Africa. We look forward to continuing to upskill the youth of today, providing the necessary programs and mentorship opportunities to students to ensure a stronger, successful future.” 
Kuljit Ghata-Aura, president of Boeing Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META), said: “At Boeing, we are committed to developing and supporting the communities where our employees live and work. Through our partnership with INJAZ Al-Arab, we have reached thousands of talented young students across the Middle East and North-Africa, helping them with the skills they need to be successful in the job market. Building on the success achieved in previous years, we now continue our journey of preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators across the African continent, a strong, long-term growth market for commercial aviation.” 

Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa, said, “We are delighted to be introduced into this long-standing partnership between Boeing and INJAZ. This partnership is valuable to our objective to expand our reach into new territories and harder to reach communities where youth are marginalized and deprived of economic opportunities. Leveraging the power of technology to educate our youth is the key to unlocking the new wave of innovators and job creators Africa needs.”
The partnership expansion follows a shared history of investment into the future of youth, which began in 2009, when Boeing joined INJAZ Al-Arab as the Entrepreneurship Pillar champion, boosting entrepreneurial skills across Arab youth. To date, programs have been rolled out across Algeria, Bahrain, Oman Egypt, Qatar, and Morocco, and include the INJAZ Al-Arab’s Innovation Camp, Company Program, Steer Your Career, STEM, and more.
The strategic partnership between INJAZ Al-Arab and Boeing has been directed towards empowering youth to reach their full potential, and for more than 12 years, this partnership has sought-out growth, geographical expansion, and significant impact. The forward direction holds plenty of opportunities for branching into STEM-focused programs that respond to the current market needs and cater to future demands.