South Sudan Development and Social Equity Agency
Department of Innovation and Youth Empowerment
Care to Change the World
Mandate and Strategic Objectives
The mandate of the Department of Innovation and Youth Empowerment is to design and coordinate programs that expand youth access to skills, mentorship, finance, and ecosystems that support innovation, entrepreneurship, and employability. This mandate is advanced through partnerships with education providers, private sector actors, incubators, and finance institutions.
The strategic objectives of the department are:
- To establish innovation hubs and incubation services that convert ideas into viable enterprises and jobs.
- To expand market‑relevant skills in STEM, digital, green economy, and advanced vocational disciplines.
- To increase access to seed capital, credit guarantees, and investment readiness support for youth‑led ventures.
- To strengthen pathways into work through apprenticeships, internships, and employer partnerships.
- To promote youth leadership, civic participation, and problem‑solving in community and national development.
Core Functions
The department delivers integrated services that build pipelines from skills to enterprise and employment:
- Innovation Hubs and Incubation: Facilities, mentorship, and product development support for early‑stage innovators and startups.
- Skills and Employability: Market‑driven training, certification, and placement services in growth sectors and value chains.
- Access to Finance: Seed facilities, catalytic grants, credit guarantees, and investor matchmaking for youth‑led MSMEs.
- Employer and Ecosystem Partnerships: Structured linkages with firms, accelerators, universities, and development partners.
- Youth Leadership and Civic Platforms: Programs that equip youth to co‑design solutions and participate in governance processes.
Key Programs and Initiatives
The department executes its mandate through the following initiatives:
- National Innovation Hubs Network: A coordinated system of hubs delivering incubation, prototyping, and venture‑building services.
- Youth Skills and Apprenticeships Program: Dual training, internships, and employer‑endorsed certifications aligned with market demand.
- Youth Enterprise Finance Facility: Seed grants, match‑funding, and guarantees coupled with investment readiness and compliance support.
- Green and Digital Entrepreneurship Initiative: Entrepreneurship in renewable energy, circular economy, ag‑tech, and digital services.
Goals
Over the next five years, the department aims to achieve the following goals:
- Establish innovation hubs in all state capitals, serving at least 2,000 early‑stage ventures and innovators.
- Facilitate creation or formalisation of 5,000 youth‑led MSMEs, with survival rates above 60% at two years.
- Deliver market‑aligned training and placement services to 50,000 youth, achieving a 50% job or enterprise creation rate within six months.
- Deploy a blended finance facility reaching 10,000 beneficiaries, with 40% women‑led ventures and 30% green/digital enterprises.
- Institutionalise employer partnerships across priority sectors, generating 20,000 apprenticeships and internships.
Impact and Value Proposition
The Department of Innovation and Youth Empowerment transforms demographic potential into productive capacity by connecting skills, finance, and markets. Its interventions lower barriers to entry, reduce informality, and accelerate technology adoption, yielding jobs, productivity gains, and a more diversified economy. The department strengthens the innovation ecosystem while embedding youth leadership in national development.
Contact and Leadership
Department Head: [To be appointed]
Email: [official email placeholder]
Office Location: SUDESA Headquarters, Juba, South Sudan
