Ghana - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Our project is dedicated to empowering girls, senior high school graduates, unemployed graduates, and youth with disabilities who do not have the financial capability to further their education and reduce digital diversity through technology skills.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

IT For Youth Ghana is a non-profit organization established to provide information technology training and career development to youth who cannot afford the cost of tertiary education but have a passion for information technology career paths. We focus on providing six (6) months comprehensive training for Senior High Graduates and two (2) courses for Junior High graduates who are awaiting their WASSCE results. We also provide employment avenues to our participants by taking them through 2 months compulsory internships after their six (6) months training. We also embark on workshops and Outreaches in Senior and Junior High Schools to educate them on the advancing opportunities in Information Technology, why they need to study digital skills at younger ages, and also to empower more young girls to undertake tech career paths. Our IT programs include coding and programming, data analytics, website and UI/UX design, Graphic and Video Editing, Network Administration, and other programs.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Poverty in Ghana and Africa has been one of the major causes of low level of education. About 40% of senior high school graduates are unable to afford tertiary education due to financial difficulties and majority of them stay home for years trying to raise funds to further their education. Most girls end up getting pregnant, and the guys end up in bad company. Growing up, I personally witnessed my colleagues and youth in the community go through these challenges. This results in unemployment and a vicious cycle of poverty in Ghana. Also, statistics show that only about 30% of women are engaged in technology career paths, and in Ghana and Africa, the numbers are alarming. Only about 10% of girls are encouraged to pursue a technology career path. Technology is taking over the majority of industries in Ghana, where every profession now has an aspect of technological innovation. This necessitates starting the technology impact on girls at young ages to reduce digital diversity.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

Our project seeks to solve the unemployment situation in our society. Unemployment is a major problem facing the youth in Ghana especially Senior High graduates and youth with disabilities. Most of these do not have access to decent work due to their level of education. Technology and digital skills presents the opportunity for remote work, decent paying jobs and entrepreneurship. Our projects also seeks to reduce diversity in technology among women by empowering more girls through our training. This helps reduce teenage pregnancies among SHS graduates, as we also reduce digital diversity. Our program empowers our participants with development programs such as emotional intelligence, building resilience, organizational behavior, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, among other development programs that equip them fully to work within an organizational setting and to build their financial management skills. We help to reduce poverty among youth and also social vices.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our project has priority for girls, as we aim to reduce digital diversity and increase the number of women in tech. We also focus on senior high school graduates facing financial challenges to further their education. By doing so, we provide the opportunity to have a dream and a bright future. Again, our project also focuses on junior high graduates awaiting their BECE results. This is aimed at engaging them usefully through their two- to three-month waiting period and building their interest in IT. People with disabilities are also part of our targeted group and we believe technology skills favors them more as they can work remotely at the comfort of their homes. We also focus on University students especially girls, as part of our goal towards digital inclusion and curbing unemployment, as it increases their chances of employment after school. Our project finally include unemployed graduates, as our engagements shows that majority of unemployed graduates lack extra soft skills.

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-09-18

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

1

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

There are no other beneficiary owners of our organization, however, we have a five-member board of directors. About me I am a chartered accountant and a masters holder from university of Ghana. I also have certificate in computer network system administration from IPMC. I am a passionate enthusiast for technology. I have over four (4) years teaching experience from university of Ghana and corporate experience as head of accounts. I have experience as an entrepreneur, starting a printing and branding business due to my passion for technology. This contributes to my leadership skills, teamwork, system and analytical skills and financial management. I also possess skills in programming and software development, computer networking and other technical skills

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://www.itforyouthgh.com/

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Information Technology Education

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

Our project seeks to provide quality technology education to vulnerable youth in Ghana and Africa. This heavily contributes to reducing poverty as these individuals can have improved livelihoods and also to support their families. Our training do not just focus on equipping our participants with technical skills but also includes development skills and employment opportunities. We aim to completes take these youth off the streets, thus from mere SHS graduates to employed individuals.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

6

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Our project takes the vulnerable youth and not only provides them with food but also teaches them how to fish for themselves. Contributing towards reducing poverty through tech skills training also helps reduce the number of vulnerable children and youth in Ghana.

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

3

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

Our project do not focus health care and well being, even though we invites health professionals to engage with our participants during career week through their program.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Our project contributes mainly to quality education through technology skills training and digital inclusion. We help to upgrade senior high graduates with in-demand technological skills. We aim to continue to develop graphic designers, frontend and backend developers, video and animation producers, website and UI/UX designers.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

We focus on empowering more girls through technology skills to increase the statistics of women in technology in Ghana and Africa. Through our outreach and workshops in Junior and Senior high schools, we encourage more girls to pursue information technology career paths

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

Our project proceeds our training by providing avenues for our graduates to employment opportunities through compulsory internships and firms with job openings.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

Our project focuses on vulnerable youth, which is people from low socio-economic backgrounds. We provide training to people whose access to quality technology education would be difficult. We prioritize these marginalized groups in society by providing them with equal opportunities as people from good socio-economic backgrounds.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

4

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

3

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

3

06.08 Justification for my startup

Our tech training is unique in that it addresses an issue that is neglected by businesses, as we target senior high school graduates who do not have access to further their education. Our innovative approach offers comprehensive training that combines digital skills with career development programs.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Our main competitors are other IT training schools. What makes our approach unique is that we provide our training together with other development programs that are mostly not done by other training schools. Again, we target an unaddressed group of people within our society. Our training also provide 100% scholarships to these vulnerable youth, including girls, people with disabilities, among other groups. Our programs also do not only focus on training but also on providing these vulnerable individuals with employment so they do not go back to the streets. Our program also gives priority to SHS graduates who move to Accra in search of greener pastures and end up in various slums in Accra.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes, our training programs, from inception has focused on women. This includes entrepreneurship and financial literacy, this equips our women after their training to start free lancing and other entrepreneurship ventures. We continuouly encourage investors to start startups with our graduates which most of them are girls