Empowering Youth Through Enterprise: Sport In Action’s Innovative Initiative Builds Skills and Futures

Sport In Action (SIA) is proud to spotlight its transformative Enterprise Initiative, launched in 2018 to address the urgent need for income-generating opportunities among young people, particularly young women, who often face vulnerable situations due to economic hardship.

The initiative was co-designed by Sport In Action’s Jessica Kaluwe and Wallace Group and Sport In Action International Sports Development Manager Jack Preston, with a vision to equip youth with lifelong skills that foster independence and resilience. Through creative tailoring and handcraft production, participants have learned to make and sell items such as tote bags, bracelets, tables, chairs, door mats, and home décor, turning craftsmanship into sustainable livelihoods.

To date, the programme has positively impacted up to 40 young people, despite limited donor engagement beyond initial seed funding from the Adderstone Foundation and Durham University.

This success underscores the initiative’s sustainability and the entrepreneurial spirit of its participants.

Looking ahead, SIA aims to scale the program by:

• Equipping youth with business acumen to run their own enterprises.
• Expanding to one new site annually, creating more hubs for skill development and income generation.
• Building partnerships to support product sales, procurement, and broader market access.

Wallace Group and Sport In Action International Sports Development Manager Jack Preston, said: “with Africa holding the highest percentage of self-employed individuals globally, the potential for skilled youth to thrive is immense. Thanks to continued support from the Adderstone Foundation, SIA has appointed Enterprise Coordinator Musa Chanakira to lead the next phase of growth and innovation.”

Sport In Action invites stakeholders, partners, and supporters to join in expanding this impactful initiative, empowering youth, strengthening communities, and shaping a future of opportunity.