Key Strategic Partnerships and Their Impact

GLF engages with a diverse network of partners across development, finance, government, and the private sector:

1. The Mastercard Foundation (Young Africa Works Strategy)

   This is one of GLF's most significant and long-term partnerships, focusing on youth employment and the white meat value chain.

   • Focus: Implementing the White Meat Value Chain Linkage Program and the mini-franchise agribusiness incubation model.
   • Impact: The partnership has significantly expanded GLF's reach, covering over 20 districts and establishing 650 Parish Entrepreneurship Learning Associations (PELAs). The goal is to get over 116,000 young people into dignified work, with a strong emphasis on empowering young women (who currently make up over 63% of the beneficiaries). The Foundation supports the training of Youth Agripreneur Champions (YACs) who, in turn, train thousands of peers in their communities.

2. Government and World Bank-Funded Initiatives

   GLF actively partners with government institutions to align its work with national development goals, particularly in empowering women and leveraging public funds.

   • The GROW Project (Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises): This World Bank-funded program, run under the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, uses GLF as a key training facility.

     Focus: Training women entrepreneurs, including those in refugee-hosting districts, to transition their micro-businesses into small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

     Impact: GLF trains hundreds of women in critical value-chain skills (like poultry management and feed milling) and links them to affordable credit facilities and start-up equipment provided through the project.

   • Leveraging Government Funds GLF's organized PELA structure has enabled youth entrepreneurs in its network to access substantial capital from government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), Youth Livelihood Program (YLP), and Emyooga funds, using their established savings track records.

3. Technical and Industry Collaborations

   GLF collaborates with technical partners to ensure the quality and sustainability of its projects.

   • National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO): A frequent partner in organizing cottage industry conferences (e.g., on Poultry and Horticulture), ensuring the youth champions receive the latest science and best practices in climate-smart agriculture.
   • The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA): Collaborating on the Khainza Energy Project, which purifies and packages affordable biomethane, a clean cooking fuel. This partnership focuses on mobilizing resources and working on collaborative research to scale a sustainable energy solution for low-income communities.