Join other Changemakers across Africa to advance the 17 Global Goals by registering or volunteering for an SDG action project in your community
YDoS is a one-month, annual Pan-African, youth-led social impact campaign which coincides with the celebration of the UN International Youth Day in August. It is a platform to harness African youths’ energy, creativity, and innovation by encouraging them to volunteer their time, skills, and resources to deliver a sustainable future for Africa.
Since the program’s inception in 2020, the Youth Day of Service has recorded participation in 24 African countries and engaged over 6000 volunteers on about 400 regional SDG Action projects. This year, the Youth Day of Service aims to connect 7,000 volunteers across Africa to local SDG action projects.
LEAP Africa believes that by resourcing young people with the tools and resources they need to make a positive impact on their communities, they are empowered to become active agents of change and support accelerated progress toward the SDGs
YDOS Background
Today, young people aged 15 to 24 account for 16% of the global population. Africa is the youngest continent in the world, with 70% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. This shows the continent teeming with creative, vibrant, and energetic youth.
By 2030, the target date for the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the number of youths globally is projected to have grown by 7%. Of this 7%, it is projected that Sub-Saharan Africa will have more than double the youth population of China.
The combination of century-old problems and unprecedented challenges youth face in Africa today calls for quick interventions by different institutions to save the future. Our young people have the potential to influence and impact their communities and nations positively.
According to the United Nations, if the youths are provided with the necessary skills and opportunities to reach their potential, they can be a driving force for supporting development.
volunteering
Through volunteering, youths are contributing daily to the growth of their communities. From advocating for justice and equality to tree planting, young people have proven their centrality in building and sustaining healthy and inclusive communities.
It is impossible to attain the SDGs without volunteerism, and data shows that African youths increasingly take an active role in volunteering for transformative change.