Farai Ntuli, a distinguished leader in youth empowerment and Africa Livelihoods and Education Lead at Accenture Development Partnerships (ADP), made a powerful impression at the launch of Girl Effect South Africa’s Jik’Izinto initiative. The event, which took place a few weeks ago, highlighted critical steps toward addressing South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis and emphasized holistic approaches to empowerment.
Farai’s address underscored sobering statistics: youth unemployment rates in South Africa are staggeringly high, with 60.8% of those aged 15–24 and 41.7% of those aged 25–34 unemployed. Additionally, 44.2% of youth aged 15–34 are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). This data reflects the urgency of systemic and innovative solutions for the country’s youth.
Farai celebrated Jik’Izinto as a groundbreaking initiative that combines economic empowerment with mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and rights advocacy. She noted how Jik’Izinto meets young people where they are—through engaging media platforms like the educational TV show DiChipi, music, social media, and other creative channels. This dynamic use of media and technology has already reached over 4.5 million young people in just a few months.
As someone who has dedicated her career to youth empowerment, Farai’s leadership and insight added immense value to the event. Her portfolio is extensive:
Farai Ntuli Portfolio
- Leadership in Development: At Accenture Development Partnerships, she collaborates with international organizations to tackle social, political, and economic challenges.
- Transformative Roles: As the former Chief Partnerships Officer at the Youth Employment Service (YES), she contributed to creating employment opportunities for young people through partnerships with government and labor.
- Innovative Projects: While at The Aurum Institute, Farai spearheaded Youth Health Africa, addressing youth unemployment and HIV prevention simultaneously. The program equipped over 10,000 youth with skills and job opportunities in healthcare.
- Academic Excellence: With an MSc in the Political Economy of Emerging Markets from King’s College London, Farai earned a distinction for her research on affirmative action’s impact on Black women in South Africa.
Farai’s accolades include being named a Queen’s Young Leader for South Africa, a TEDx speaker, and a King’s Principal Global Leadership Award recipient. In 2022, she received the TransUnion Rising Star Award for the public and private service sectors and was honored by Stellenbosch University for her exceptional alumni contributions.
Through her platform Tips for Millennial Managers, Farai shares practical tools to enhance employability, with her series amassing over 120,000 views. She also co-founded Afrika Matters, a youth-led organization focused on reshaping narratives about Africa and its youth.
The Girl Effect Jik’Izinto launch celebrated Farai’s passion for collaborative solutions and inclusive empowerment, making her a fitting voice at an event centered on amplifying youth potential. Her remarks reflected hope and determination, setting the tone for an initiative poised to transform the lives of millions of young South Africans.
As Farai said, “Empowering young people means addressing all facets of their lives—economic, mental, and social.” Her words at the launch embodied the spirit of progress and collaboration that South Africa needs to tackle its youth unemployment crisis head-on.
