Driving transformative change for women

HerStart builds on YCI's legacy of partnering with youth to reshape the world so women have an equal opportunity to thrive.

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A 30-year history working alongside youth

YCI is driven by youth and their potential to affect positive change on communities, countries and the world. In designing HerStart, we’ve applied insights from decades of implementing programs in over 17 countries to ensure that gender equality is at the heart of our work.

In the past 5 years alone, we’ve seen the power of youth innovation to:

Provide 85,000+ young people with access to employment and entrepreneurship programs in collaboration with 26 partners.

Create opportunities for 600+ Canadians to share their skills and grow new solutions with communities around the world.

Launch or scale 580 new businesses, 60% of which are owned by women, through seed funding and mentorship.

Meet some young women leading change around the world

A young woman entrepreneur standing in front of a collection of bicycles

"Taking part in one of YCI's entrepreneurship training programs was one of the first times that Asia had an opportunity to understand the ins and outs of running a business. By boosting her English skills, she launched a new venture that imports and re-sells bicycles and uses the profits to support her family and provide sustainable, low-cost transport options for her community in Zanzibar, Tanzania."

— Asia

A young woman in a light pink headscarf standing in front of some pillows she made

"Fatima has always been passionate about the environment. It wasn't until an entrepreneurship training through YCI that she felt equipped to turn her eco-venture, Timalima, into reality. Now the company upcycles scrap materials to create decorative goods, reducing waste and generating income for women in Tamale, Ghana."

— Fatima

A young woman dipping her hand in a small pond on her farm

"With start-up support from YCI, Mulkhat launched a business that sustainably cultivates fish and grows vegetables in Zanzibar, Tanzania. She reuses the fishpond water as fertilizer for the vegetables and the vegetables as fish food to reduce waste and costs, creating positive impacts on the environment and her business."

— Mulkhat

a young woman wearing a yellow headscarf smiling at the camera

"My family could not believe I could one day run a livestock feed business, which is normally run by men in my community. Because of the program, I gained the skills and confidence I needed to start and run a livestock business. I am proud that I can show the men in my community that women can also run this business. I am proud to now get respect in this type of market, because I am one of the few women doing this kind of business."

— Oumou, YCI entrepreneurship training participant in Senegal

A woman smiling at the camera, writing in a notebook

"Entrepreneurship is not easy, but I am happy I gained the knowledge and skills on how to become successful entrepreneur through the program. Because of this program, I was able to start a custom-made furniture business (traditionally a male dominated business), and I gained confidence to run my business. I am now making money and a living and able to raise my son and support my mother."

— Cintya, YCI entrepreneurship training

Taking action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action and partnership towards peace and prosperity for all people and the planet. Our current realities resulting from COVID-19, threaten the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and we must work together now more than ever to continue pushing for progress.

YCI’s HerStart initiative contributes to the Global Goals for Sustainable Development by harnessing the potential of youth, especially young women, who are more than twice as likely as young men to not be in employment, education or training.

Goal 1
No poverty Goal 5
Gender equality Goal 8
Decent work and
economic growth Goal 13
Climate action Goal 17
Partnerships for
the goals

Goal 1
No poverty

Youth, especially young women, face unique challenges to realizing meaningful employment and a sustainable income. In Africa, sub-Saharan youth who work and still live in poverty has increased by more than 10 million in the past decade, to 65.8 million - higher than in any other region. YCI's HerStart initiative works with young people in these regions to break down those barriers and create solutions that increase financial stability and independence.

Goal 5
Gender equality