Two in three Ethiopians are under 30. The leaders who will run the country’s ministries, companies and communities in 2040 are in school, college and youth centres today. That is why, in October 2020, Wostant Eyob described his calling in five words: “My work is raising new generation.”
A nation is built by people
In 2023, working with Love and Care, we trained young people and teenagers from twenty centres on worldview and habit building. The post we wrote at the time said it in Amharic: a nation is built by people; equipping each young person is building the nation (our translation).
It is the same idea as our work with ministries, one generation earlier. A young person who learns to set goals, manage emotions and lead with character carries that into every institution they later join.
What young people work on with us
- Leadership and purpose. In 2024, with Kibur College, we ran a two-week leadership skills program for more than 200 participants, focused on emerging leaders who are disciplined and purposeful.
- Mental health and emotions. In September 2026 we spent two days with the young people of Selam Children’s Village on mental health and emotional management, effective communication and conflict resolution, spiritual growth, and goal setting and future vision.
- Vision and storytelling. In July 2026 Wostant joined the Summer in Focus programme as a guest, challenging young photographers and visual storytellers to think about vision, purpose and the lasting impact of the stories they tell.
- Work readiness. With FAWE and the Mastercard Foundation, we have trained young people and their trainers on employability, CV writing and job readiness.
Change engineers, early
We often say that a country needs change engineers, change agents and change leaders. The earlier someone starts on that path, the further they go. Investing in a young person’s character and skills is the longest-lasting leadership program there is.
