The 100 Youths Program equips young people with financial literacy, investment knowledge, and cooperative entrepreneurship and tools, empowering them to build sustainable income streams and community enterprises. It stands as a beacon of financial empowerment and promotes cooperative entrepreneurship, financial literacy, prudent investment, and long-term economic sustainability for youth across Zambia.
What the Program Does
The 100 Youths Programme brings together groups of young people to form youth cooperatives and investment clusters. Through training, mentorship, and guided activities, participants learn how to manage finances, run enterprises, and build wealth collectively while contributing to community development.
Focus Area
- Youth economic empowerment
- Cooperative development
- Financial literacy and investment
- Entrepreneurship and innovation
Target Audience
- Zambian youth aged 18–35 from all socio-economic backgrounds
- Aspiring entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and youth groups
Core Activities
Financial Literacy Training: Youth are trained in budgeting, saving, investment principles, and responsible money management.
Cooperative Development and Mentorship: Participants form youth cooperatives and receive ongoing mentorship to run viable group enterprises.
Business and Entrepreneurship Workshops: Hands-on training in business planning, marketing, pitching, proposal writing, and enterprise management.
Investment Groups Formation: Support to create youth-led savings and investment groups that promote long-term financial security.
Youth Enterprise Support: Linkages to micro-grants, seed funding opportunities, and partnerships that support youth-led businesses.
Curent Projects
Catalyst Craft Zambia (2025–2030)
The Catalyst Craft Zambia is a five-year youth entrepreneurship and cooperative development initiative under the 100 Youths Program. The project aims to equip 1,000 young people aged 18–30 with practical skills in financial literacy, innovation, business planning, cooperative formation, and business formalization, with a strong focus on agriculture, mining, tourism, and value addition.
Through biannual training cohorts, mentorship, pitch events, business registration support, and policy advocacy, the project empowers young people to move from job seeking to job creation. Catalyst Craft Zambia nurtures youth-led enterprises and cooperatives that are legally recognized, financially literate, and capable of contributing to Zambia’s economic transformation.
This initiative marks a bold step toward building a generation of youth entrepreneurs who are skilled, confident, and equipped to drive inclusive development across the country.
Why It Matters
The program addresses financial exclusion by providing a platform for youth of all economic backgrounds to participate in economic growth. It instils discipline in saving and financial planning, enabling youth to navigate life’s challenges and capitalize on opportunities.