UNICEF Kenya and Standard Chartered Futuremakers Launch Grant Opportunity to Support Young Women’s Employment Through the Yoma Digital Ecosystem

Organizations working to improve youth employment, digital inclusion, and women’s economic empowerment now have an exciting opportunity to partner with UNICEF Kenya and Standard Chartered Futuremakers through a new Request for Proposal (RFP) published on the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM).

The funding opportunity, titled “Request for Proposal for Links to Work Programme — Supporting Young Women Aged 18–24 from Underserved Backgrounds to Access Sustainable Employment Through the Yoma Digital Ecosystem in Partnership with UNICEF Kenya and Standard Chartered Futuremakers,” seeks qualified organizations to implement initiatives that help young women build employability skills and transition into sustainable employment opportunities.

This initiative reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to decent work, digital opportunities, and economic empowerment for underserved young women in Kenya through innovative partnerships and technology-driven solutions.

About the Opportunity

The Links to Work Programme is designed to strengthen employment pathways for young women by leveraging the Yoma digital ecosystem, an innovative platform that connects young people with learning opportunities, skills development, work experiences, and employment opportunities.

Through this Request for Proposal, UNICEF Kenya and Standard Chartered Futuremakers are seeking capable implementation partners that can support young women in overcoming barriers to employment while strengthening their digital and professional skills.

The programme specifically targets young women aged 18 to 24 years from underserved communities, recognizing that many continue to face significant social, economic, and structural challenges in accessing quality employment opportunities.

Programme Objectives

The selected implementing organization(s) will contribute to advancing youth employment by supporting activities that help participants prepare for and secure sustainable employment.

The programme aims to:

• Improve employability among underserved young women.
• Expand access to digital opportunities through the Yoma platform.
• Strengthen workforce readiness.
• Promote sustainable employment outcomes.
• Support women’s economic empowerment.
• Increase access to skills development opportunities.
• Foster partnerships that connect young women to employers and employment ecosystems.

Focus on the Yoma Digital Ecosystem

The initiative places significant emphasis on the Yoma digital ecosystem, which serves as a platform connecting young people with opportunities that improve their employment prospects.

Through Yoma, participants may benefit from opportunities such as:

• Digital learning.
• Skills development.
• Career readiness activities.
• Employment pathways.
• Youth engagement opportunities.
• Connections to employers and ecosystem partners.

By integrating participants into this digital ecosystem, the programme seeks to create long-term employment outcomes rather than short-term interventions.

Who Should Apply?

Organizations with strong experience in youth employment, workforce development, digital skills training, and women’s empowerment are encouraged to submit proposals.

Potential applicants include:

• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Civil society organizations
• Youth development organizations
• Women’s empowerment organizations
• Workforce development agencies
• Registered training institutions
• Social enterprises
• Private sector organizations
• Partnerships and consortia

Organizations should possess the technical expertise and operational capacity required to implement high-quality employment programmes targeting underserved young women.

Expected Areas of Expertise

Successful applicants should demonstrate experience in areas such as:

• Youth employment programming
• Employability training
• Career development
• Digital skills training
• Entrepreneurship support
• Women’s economic empowerment
• Community outreach
• Workforce development
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Partnership management

Benefits of Participating

Organizations selected through this Request for Proposal may benefit from:

• Partnership with UNICEF Kenya.
• Collaboration with Standard Chartered Futuremakers.
• Opportunity to contribute to national youth employment goals.
• Increased organizational visibility.
• Strengthened institutional partnerships.
• Opportunity to improve employment outcomes for underserved young women.
• Participation in an innovative digital employment ecosystem.

Why This Opportunity Matters

Youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing development challenges affecting many countries, including Kenya. Young women often experience additional barriers due to limited access to education, technology, employment networks, and financial resources.

By investing in innovative employment pathways through the Yoma digital ecosystem, this programme seeks to close opportunity gaps while supporting inclusive economic growth and sustainable livelihoods.

The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to advance gender equality, digital inclusion, and decent work for young people.

Application Process

Interested organizations should carefully review the complete Request for Proposal published on the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM).

Applicants should ensure that they understand all submission requirements, eligibility criteria, technical specifications, and proposal guidelines before preparing their applications.

Organizations are encouraged to prepare strong technical proposals that clearly demonstrate:

• Organizational capacity.
• Relevant implementation experience.
• Technical expertise.
• Understanding of youth employment challenges.
• Ability to deliver measurable employment outcomes.
• Strong monitoring and reporting systems.

Application Deadline

No application deadline has been provided in the available announcement.

Interested organizations should visit the official UNGM procurement opportunity page and submit their proposals as early as possible once all required documentation has been prepared.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted through the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) procurement platform.

Applicants should access the official procurement notice, review all proposal requirements, and follow the submission instructions provided in the Request for Proposal documentation before submitting their applications.

Apply Here

For more information, visit the official website

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