Unemployment stands at the heart of hopelessness among youth in Africa. With the youth population expected to double by 2050, young people lack opportunities and prospects, which fuels instability and perpetuates poverty. In response, SINA transforms these challenges into pathways for empowerment and entrepreneurship.
"I'm living my dream instead of dreaming my life!" Joseph Bwinika, SINA alumni from the Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda
SINA enables disadvantaged and refugee communities to transform challenges into opportunities and become the change they wish to see across 15 African communities and refugee camps. Each SINA learning environment unites 50 to 100 youths to locally own and locally self-organize through the freesponsible SINA Framework and transform their challenges into opportunities. Each SINA is for the community, by the community. All SINAs collaborate with each other to achieve a greater outcome than what could be achieved alone.
By taking on responsibilities and roles to run SINA, youths create their own curriculum and gain the skills and experience necessary to develop social enterprises. Unlike in formal educational institutions, we do not graduate with a certificate and drown in unemployment. Graduation happens when a social enterprise is financially self-sustainable.
A self-organized replication approach allows new communities to experience SINA first hand, go through the framework to have a deep transformation like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly and be equipped with everything needed to successfully replicate the framework in a new location. Our social enterprises have been honored by 25+ international awards and featured on e.g. CNN, BBC or Al Jazeera. Notable SINA alumni have been recognized by the Pope, Obama, or the Queen of England. SINA won the UNHCR Innovation Award, the Ockenden Prize, the Tony Hsieh Award, the Pan African Award for Entrepreneurship in Education and the Modern Work Award.
Our work has been substantiated through various evaluations, which have shown positive outcomes on personal and professional growth, income, job creation and social and environmental impact. SINA does not just talk about change; we embody it, continuously unfolding our evolutionary purpose for a world which works for everyone. Join us by visiting, joining or replicating the SINA Framework.