Absa Bank Kenya Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Charles Wokabi and MK Africa CEO Muthoni Kanyana sign a memorandum of understanding for a strategic partnership with the Absa Kenya Foundation (AKF) to empower the next generation of sustainability champions. ./PHOTO; Courtesy
MK-Africa, the creator of the youth-led sustainability innovation platform #MyLittleBigThing, has entered a strategic partnership with the Absa Kenya Foundation (AKF) to support and empower young sustainability innovators across the continent.
The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Monday, the same day as the launch of a two-day #MyLittleBigThing Innovation Bootcamp.
#MyLittleBigThing is designed to give African youth a platform to transform their ideas into actionable solutions that address sustainability challenges.
Through the program, young innovators gain access to mentorship, practical tools, and structured guidance to develop solutions that can scale beyond the classroom.
This week, 50 high-potential youth innovators are participating in the bootcamp, focusing on problem validation, prototyping, and refining strategic approaches to their projects.
The sessions will culminate in a Final Pitch Showcase, where participants present their solutions to a panel of mentors and industry experts.
“Today marks a pivotal moment for African youth innovation. The #MyLittleBigThing Challenge is about seeing tomorrow’s sustainability leaders today and providing them with the tools and mentorship to drive tangible change. This partnership is a powerful validation of our mission to ensure young people are at the forefront of creating a sustainable future. We are proud to be the leader in sustainable youth-led innovation, equipping a new generation with the skills to address society’s biggest challenges,” said MK-Africa CEO, Muthoni Kanyana.
Absa Bank Kenya Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, Charles Wokabi, emphasized the partnership’s role in developing practical skills for young innovators.
“At Absa, we see the stories and potential of the upcoming generations of African innovators. Our partnership with MK-Africa reflects our commitment to nurturing talent, strengthening innovation, and preparing youth for the future of work. Through this innovation bootcamp, we are equipping young people with practical, employability, and entrepreneurial skills by empowering sustainable value chains and driving financial inclusion and digital economic empowerment,” he said.
AKF’s support for the bootcamp aligns with its strategic pillars of Education & Skills Development and Entrepreneurship & Economic Empowerment. The foundation provides logistical support, access to mentors, and embeds learning tools—including the #ReadytoWork program—into the bootcamp curriculum to enhance participants’ readiness for real-world challenges.
The one-year partnership, running until December 31, 2026, establishes a framework for long-term collaboration between MK-Africa and AKF.
Beyond the bootcamp, the partnership seeks to create pathways for youth innovators to expand their projects, access resources, and contribute meaningfully to sustainable development in their communities.
“By partnering with MK-Africa, we are championing programmes that build practical, future-fit skills, and we look forward to exploring additional avenues to support the growth of the next generation of African sustainability innovators,” added Mr. Wokabi.
Through this collaboration, both organizations aim to strengthen Africa’s youth-driven innovation ecosystem by equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and mentorship necessary to tackle pressing environmental and social challenges.
The initiative reinforces the importance of investing in youth as key drivers of sustainable development, ensuring that innovative solutions emerging from African communities are supported, scaled, and integrated into broader economic and social systems.
About MK-Africa
MK-Africa is the Africa region’s Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Certified Training Partner. It runs ESG workshops and creates and develops reports using the GRI Reporting Standards.
Its goal is to inspire, engage, and equip today’s businesses to prosper for the near and long term by leading the way to a sustainably abundant future. We are UN Global Compact members.
MK-Africa is also a social enterprise and runs an initiative known as #MyLittleBigThing that trains and mentors youth on the SDGs and sustainable business practices.
Inspired by Nobel laureate the late Wangari Maathai’s ‘Little Thing’ of planting trees, the organisation encourages innovation by undergraduate university students around the Sustainable Development Goals by promoting SDGs-led education.
About Absa Kenya Foundation
Absa Bank Kenya PLC launched the Absa Kenya Foundation in 2024.
The foundation acts as an implementation vehicle to scale the bank’s corporate social investment, which aligns well with its core business strategy and Kenya’s national development agenda.
The foundation is structured around four strategic pillars, namely entrepreneurship, education and skills development, environmental sustainability, and humanitarian relief.
These pillars are positioned to tackle some of Kenya’s most pressing issues, like youth unemployment, financing gaps, climate vulnerability, and access to basic services in times of national crisis.
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