In commemoration of International Youth Day 2023, LEAP Africa (www.LeapAfrica.org), one of Africa’s leading non-profit organizations focused on youth leadership development; Dow, a global leader in materials science; and other strategic partners within the youth ecosystem announced the successful conclusion of the 2023 Youth Day of Service (YDoS) campaign, reaching 28 African countries and over 10,000 volunteers across different communities on the continent.

The month-long campaign, which kicked off on August 12 through 31, brought together young individuals to highlight the power and potential of their collective action in achieving a sustainable future through volunteerism and community service. These volunteers joined forces to tackle challenges and implement projects, including tree planting, painting, food drives, beach cleaning, digital sensitisation, medical outreach, prison outreach, and more in their communities. All of the executed projects were aligned with the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Kehinde Ayeni, Executive Director, LEAP Africa in her comment, expressed LEAP Africa’s commitment to the actualization of the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). She said, “Now in its fourth year, the Youth Day of Service campaign provides a platform for us to mobilize young people across the continent, re-orientating them with the theme “Youthful and Useful” and galvanizing them to commit their skills, talents, time and resources for the greater good of their communities”. She also emphasized that the partnership with Dow to support young people is a testament to how the campaign continues to scale, year in and year out.

“To Africa’s youth, I say: keep building the Africa you want,” said Sami Mainich, President, Dow Africa. “We at Dow are proud to have partnered with LEAP Africa once more to galvanize and support the thousands of youths from communities across Africa who came together to make a difference. Through their service projects, they have demonstrated the power of the youth in addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing our continent, from climate change to poverty to education inequality. The youth matter, and they are the changemakers of tomorrow. Dow is committed to continuing working with them to create a more sustainable, prosperous, and equitable Africa for all.”

The month-long campaign registered projects across different communities in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Algeria, Benin Republic, Burundi, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Liberia, Malawi, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Key highlights of the 2023 campaign include - a Pan African SDGs press briefing, a Stakeholder Forum, and an SDGs Walkathon, held in Nairobi, Kenya; a Qrate Period tour in South Africa; an Afforestation and Land Restoration project in Ghana; a Biodiversity Project in North Africa; and other community projects across the continent. This year, all 17 SDGs were covered by the 10,511 volunteers who engaged in 301 projects, including 27 cleanups. A total of 812,951.51 tonnes of waste were removed through waste recycling and collection efforts, and 7983 trees were planted across all key regions in Africa.

The fourth edition of the Youth Day of Service (YDoS) campaign was supported by various organizations across Africa, including ChildFund International, Emerging Leaders Foundation, BellaNaija, Forgotten Bottom Millions, Legit, Zikoko Citizen, W4 Immerse, Dotts Media, African Climate Reality Project, Strategic Youth Network for Development Ghana, Youth Development Organization, Zambia and Global Shapers Community, among others.