Jacob’s Ladder Africa Unveils Green Careers Caravan to Prepare Youth for the Green Economy

By Sharon Atieno 

Nairobi, Kenya – September 24, 2025 — Jacob’s Ladder Africa (JLA), in partnership with fifteen public universities under the Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and the State Department of Higher Education and Research, has launched the Green Careers Caravan (GCC), a nationwide initiative designed to equip young people with the skills needed for emerging opportunities in the green economy.

About Jacob’s Ladder Africa

Jacob’s Ladder Africa is a pan-African, non-governmental organization that tackles youth unemployment in Africa by unlocking opportunities in the green economy. We support youth to build businesses, develop skills aligned to green job markets, and access meaningful employment.

The Caravan was inaugurated at Kisii University on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, as the first of a series of engagements that will extend to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Taita Taveta University, Embu University this year, and eleven more institutions in 2026.

Kenya is grappling with high youth unemployment, with nearly 12 percent of young people aged 15–24 jobless, and over 31 percent of the 10 million youth in the labour force either unemployed or underemployed. Each year, more than one million young Kenyans enter the workforce without the skills to secure meaningful employment.

At the same time, climate change and technological disruption are reshaping industries, yet the transition to a green economy holds promise, with projections suggesting 3.3 million green jobs could be created across Africa by 2030.

“The convergence of Africa’s demographic dividend and the global green transition presents an unprecedented opportunity,” said Sellah Bogonko, Co-Founder and CEO of Jacob’s Ladder Africa. “But for youth to unlock this potential, they must be skilled, empowered, ethical, entrepreneurial, and supported by systems that work.”

Representing the government, Consolata Alawo, Assistant Director at the State Department of Higher Education and Research, emphasized the importance of integrating climate education and green skills into university curricula. She echoed the late Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, saying: “You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people.”

Professor Daniel Mugendi, Chairman of the Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, praised the initiative, stressing the need for collaboration among universities, government, private sector, and civil society to empower youth.

Over the next five years, GCC plans to reach all 42 public universities in Kenya, with more than 150 activations, engaging over 150,000 young people and achieving a digital reach of at least 5 million.

JLA aims to expand the program across Africa, calling on industry leaders and development partners to support internships, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and scale-up efforts.

JLA is calling on industry leaders, mentors, and development partners to contribute to scaling GCC by:

• Offering internships and apprenticeships.
• Supporting entrepreneurship through funding and technical support.
• Sharing expertise as mentors and guest speakers.
• Partnering to expand the Caravan to more universities across Kenya and Africa.

By aligning with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and global green jobs strategies, the Green Careers Caravan seeks to position the country’s youth at the forefront of sustainable transformation.