The YES Challenge ran for 5 weeks starting on the 6 March 2022 and ending on the 10th of April 2022 with the award ceremony held on the 23April. A total of 7 youth groups participated. The age of the youth was between 13 and 37. The total number of youth that participated was 21. Each group received a total of $30USD as trust based investment.
Youth that took part in YES challenge
Revenue generated
Profitable projects
launched
Profit generated in
profitable projects
Number of people served
across all projects
The rules of the YES Challenge were explained to each team and each member and they also signed their registration on printed sign up forms which outlined the rules and expectations of the program. As per the rule, each group had to return the received funds if they managed to make a profit.
Outcome of this YES Challenge
5 groups managed to return the funds of the trust based investment they received. 4 teams made a profit in the youth-led changemaking activity and returned the trust based investment, while one team returned the trust based investment without having made a profit.
4 of the teams also made a donation of 25 % of their profit for future youth-led changemaking activities, to enable their peers to have a similar changemaking opportunity. The total donation from received from the teams making a profit was $29.
The biggest achievement of the youth in the eyes of the facilitator is that....
Despite all the economic challenges, the youths managed to generate income and resumed with their projects. Yes some couldn't make it to the next level but they gained a lot of confidence and wisdom and I believe that they are ready to face the world with a lot of experience they gained from this program. I know deep down in their hearts that there is a feeling of satisfaction and a triggered passion to change other people's lives.
However to a lesser extend i'm just satisfied by the fact that at least 71% of the teams managed to return the trust based investments.
What was the feedback of the youth regarding their experience in the youth-led changemaking activity:
This level 2 YES Challenge was surrounded by thorns, stones, and mountains. So it was the SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. In Level 2 is when our economy took the wrong turn and now we are dining with the challenges created. As a result the youths where struggling to keep up, clear their stock and generate enough profits. It was also a challenge to convert the bond notes to United States Dollar as the Dollar is always increasing its value. Some members were requesting to submit their money (trust based investment repayment) in bond notes but it does not seem like a good idea as this will burden the organisation .
Any stories or feedback from the changemaking activity that inspired you / really resonated with you / was memorable for you?:
I have this student of mine who is in his early 30ies. He was part of my group of vulnerables as he was once a drug addict. So I joined him and his two siblings as they were all not working and the kids where not attending school. In level one of the YES Challenge they perfomed well. But the problem arose in level 2 where I kept visiting his place and found no one until someone told me that he relocated to the rural areas.
On doing more investigations I discovered that he went back to drugs. This touched me but I later on realised that you can not force someone to change, but rather you can play your part and leave the rest of the process to the recipient. I have learned that you can offer to help someone but you can't enforce it to them. It's a matter of how they value it & how they choose to live. IT'S A MATTER OF CHOICE".
Below is a simple table showing the results from the groups
| wdt_ID | Group leader | Number of team members | Funds received | Revenue made | Profit made | No of people served during length of activity | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melisah | 3 | $30 | $70 | $40 | 45 | Selling clothes |
| 2 | Simmone | 3 | $30 | $66 | $36 | 80 | Selling zapnacks,boiled eggs |
| 3 | Lima | 3 | $30 | $58 | $28 | 116 | Selling chocolates |
| 4 | Pauline | 3 | $30 | $45 | $15 | 70 | Selling zapnacks and cosmetics |
| 5 | Priscilla | 3 | $30 | $30 | $0.00 | 84 | Selling boiled eggs |
| 6 | Yeukai | 3 | $30 | $10 | $0.00 | 64 | Selling cosmetics |
| 7 | Hamilton | 3 | $30 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 24 | Grass cutting |
Impact of the YES Challenge
The YES Challenge allows the youth to explore their strengths and weaknesses as they deal with all challenges associated with business. In the process, some discover their capabilities and some hidden strengths. From level 1 to level 2 I have seen a maturing of the students which is a good result of the program.
Want to support YES Challenges like the one above?
It’s our belief that investing in young people is investing in the future.
You can make a difference with as little as 10 USD, which we use to bring
a changemaking experience to at least one young person.
You can learn more about other YES Challenges below
