Africa Matters Initiative

Africa Matters Initiative (AMI) is a youth-led organisation founded in 2015 with the mission to empower and upskill young Africans to change their communities and reshape the African narrative through leadership, social entrepreneurship, and advocacy. Registered in South Africa, AMI has worked with over 6,000 young leaders across 23 African countries and the diaspora, with a strong focus on reaching women, girls, youth with disabilities, and underserved communities.

AMI was born out of a vision to create a platform that nurtures non-traditional African leaders, who are young people who are passionate about change but often lack access to resources, networks, and opportunities. Through transformative programs such as the Africa Matters Ambassadors Program (AMAP), ShE is Empowered (ShE), Her Environment, Her Future (HEHF), and the Schools Leadership Development Program (SLDP), AMI provides leadership training, mentorship, project funding, and a vibrant pan-African network of peers and changemakers.

To date, AMI alumni have launched community initiatives in areas such as education, gender equality, mental health, climate action, and economic empowerment, with many becoming mentors and facilitators in AMI’s growing ecosystem. As AMI looks ahead, its strategic goals include scaling its flagship programs, deepening alumni support, increasing bilingual content in French and programming, and launching a monthly giving campaign to sustainably support youth-led community initiatives across the continent.