Across Africa, millions of young people have the talent, drive, and creativity to transform their communities. Given the chance, Africa’s youth are poised to transform the continent’s economy, yet systemic barriers persist.
Through the Social Equity Program (SEP), we’re equipping them with the entrepreneurial skills, resources, and mindset to build resilient futures—for themselves and for the continent. Together, JA and Z Zurich Foundation are working to address these challenges and ensure that youth have the opportunity to thrive.
Student Learning Experiences
Bootcamp Curriculum
A four-day, intensive learning experience helps young people gain work readiness and entrepreneurship skills. Educators teach young people how to start a new business, from market research to business formation and management. Young people gain skills in project management and financial literacy while cultivating positive and healthy mindsets for mental wellbeing.
JA Digital Entrepreneurship Education Platform (JA DEEP)
After the bootcamp, young people register in JA DEEP, an online entrepreneurship curriculum that further strengthens entrepreneurial skills and attitudes. JA DEEP enables participants to gain a deeper understanding of product development, costing, marketing, sales strategy, and financial reporting.
Social Enterprise Competition
As part of their training to become social entrepreneurs and change agents, young people tackle a social issue facing their communities related to sustainable living. Students form teams, develop project plans, and implement the social impact project with support from volunteer mentors. Teams present their social enterprises to panels of judges, who select the most promising enterprises and award seed grants.
Stories of Real Impact
Our alumni are proving that with the right support, young people can lead transformative change. Below, you can meet four of our entrepreneurs and see the ripple effects of their work.
Z Zurich Foundation shares JA’s commitment to equipping vulnerable youth with the skills and resources to reach their full potential. While the foundation partners with several of JA’s regions and locations, its most recent partnership with JA Worldwide focuses on expanding educational opportunities that promote entrepreneurship and work readiness skills in Africa.
As part of our global relationship, Z Zurich Foundation provides challenge grants that inspire local JA teams to design bold, locally relevant initiatives—leveraging both community knowledge and global best practices. These grants encourage innovation, adaptability, and measurable impact, enabling each participating country to address unique challenges while aligning with a shared vision for youth economic resilience.
The Z Zurich Foundation invests in Africa’s long-term economic resilience by:
Supporting mentorship, coaching, and financial inclusion for young entrepreneurs.
Building ecosystems that connect youth with global business leaders and investors.
Expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship education in underserved communities.
Volunteers are an essential part of bringing these initiatives to life. To ensure they are as impactful as possible, JA and the Z Zurich Foundation have created a new volunteering platform that serves both local and international volunteers, equipping them to engage youth effectively and confidently. The platform blends training in youth engagement strategies with the opportunity to develop personal skills—such as openness, empathy, and adeptness in navigating challenging situations—that benefit volunteers well beyond their service. Whether they are Zurich employees contributing as part of the global partnership or community members lending their expertise locally, these volunteers help transfer a wide range of skills and perspectives to young people, amplifying the impact of every challenge grant and every program delivered.
Celebrating SEP Volunteers
SEP not only offers meaningful opportunities for Zurich employees to share their expertise, but also draws on the talents of local volunteers in each participating country. By combining the perspectives of both international and community-based mentors, students are exposed to a diverse range of skills, experiences, and cultural insights. This blend of global and local engagement strengthens the learning experience for youth, ensuring that the program reflects the unique opportunities and challenges of each local context and creating a richer, more relevant path to success.
Sinare Aminata (Burkina Faso), a dedicated volunteer in the Social Equity Program, experienced a profound business transformation through her volunteering role. Initially hesitant about volunteering, she believed money, not experience, was key to advancing her projects.
Through the facilitation of the bootcamps, Sinare gained additional confidence, knowledge, and entrepreneurial skills. The knowledge from the bootcamps reshaped her perspective, teaching her that strong ideas, a clear understanding of the Business Model Canvas, and smart objectives are the foundation of success. She decided to use the knowledge to expand her natural juice production business—a venture she had been running prior to her SEP experience.
“In the past, I doubted myself and was afraid to fail. Similarly, when I made resolutions in my life, I struggled to achieve them because I lacked the skills and knowledge to succeed. However, thanks to the activities in the bootcamps, I overcame these challenges, and I am very proud to have participated as a volunteer in this program.”
Zurich Volunteer Spotlight: Purity Kariuki
Zurich volunteers like Purity Kariuki are at the heart of the JA–Z Zurich Foundation (ZZF) Social Equity Program (SEP), offering the expertise, mentorship, and encouragement that are vital to students’ growth and success. SEP equips young people with the skills, guidance, and resources they need to build businesses and create jobs in their communities, blending global expertise with local impact. Purity, a Technical Accounting Lead for Zurich’s UK Life Insurance business, brings both professional expertise and a passion for youth empowerment to her role as a mentor. Raised in Kenya and now based in the United Kingdom, she’s channeling her journey and experience into helping students realize their potential through JA.
JA Worldwide: Please tell us about your background. Who is Purity Kariuki?
PK: My professional journey has taken me from Kenya to the United Kingdom, shaped by curiosity, determination, and a drive to make a positive impact.
I began my career at PwC Kenya, where I spent five years honing my skills as an Auditor. Seeking broader horizons, I moved to the UK and joined KPMG as an Audit Assistant Manager in their Southampton office. There, I further developed my expertise through a secondment in the Department of Professional Practice, where I supported teams with complex technical audit matters. In August 2024, I embraced a new challenge at Zurich, where I continue to grow as a leader and mentor.
Education has always been a cornerstone of my journey. I am a proud graduate of the University of Nairobi, where I earned a first-class honours Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance. I hold a master’s in business administration from the University of South Wales, UK. Additionally, I am a Certified Public Accountant and have recently obtained my certificate in Sustainability Reporting. My academic and professional achievements have been made possible by the mentorship and support of others—teachers, colleagues, and leaders—who guided me every step of the way.
Today, I am committed not only to professional excellence but also to giving back, supporting others in their development, and fostering a culture of learning and empowerment wherever I go.
JA Worldwide: How has your background and job impacted your volunteer experience?
PK: The support and mentorship I've received from others have shaped my journey—from teachers who guided my early career choices to leaders at Equity Bank who mentored me during my apprenticeship, to lecturers and senior colleagues who have coached me throughout my professional life. This collective investment in my growth inspires me to pay it forward, mentoring and supporting others in the ways I have been supported.
JA Worldwide: What made you volunteer through the Z Zurich Foundation (ZZF)? How did you get involved in the Social Equity Program?
PK: Volunteering has always been a passion of mine, beginning with my role as a mentor to Wings to Fly Scholars at Equity Bank when I was 18 years old. Zurich’s commitment to social responsibility, highlighted in their 2023 annual report and the work of the Z Zurich Foundation, was a major factor in my decision to join the company. Within two months of joining, I actively sought out ways to contribute and get involved.
JA Worldwide: What skills or perspectives have you gained from volunteering that you’ve been able to bring back to your professional life?
PK: Through my work with JA Africa, I delivered a career readiness presentation on communication skills—particularly non-verbal communication—which I later adapted for my Zurich team. Volunteering has reinforced the importance of the 5Cs of Leadership, especially communication, and encouraged continuous learning and professional etiquette. These experiences have enhanced my ability to lead, present, and connect effectively in my role.
JA Worldwide: How do you think volunteering has impacted the students you and other Zurich employees have worked with?
PK: Students benefit from knowing someone genuinely cares about their growth and success. Our mentorship makes them feel valued, seen, and motivated to reach their potential.
JA Worldwide: Can you share a particular memory of working with students? Have the students ever surprised you with their ideas or questions?
PK: I’ve been consistently impressed by the creativity and confidence of the students I’ve mentored. Their business plans were innovative and well-structured, and their presentations showcased remarkable potential.
JA Worldwide: What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a JA volunteer for the first time?
PK: Giving back isn’t just about financial contributions—your time, experience, and insights are powerful tools for making a meaningful difference.
Expanding the Success of SEP
Together, JA and Z Zurich Foundation have successfuly:
Scaled the program to reach more youth across Africa
Strengthened access to seed capital for youth-led enterprises
Integrated mental well-being education into all entrepreneurship training
Expanded industry partnerships to open more economic opportunities
The Social Equity Program is a shared investment in opportunity—one that delivers lasting benefits for communities, economies, and companies alike. We invite you to join JA Africa in this exciting journey to expand the reach of this work, whether by supporting the program, championing young entrepreneurs, or engaging your employees in meaningful volunteer opportunities in key countries around the world.
