Development is not just about solving immediate problems. It is about reimagining systems to be more just, inclusive and sustainable. Across Africa and beyond, young women leaders are not only addressing systemic barriers but actively redesigning the structures that exclude marginalized voices. 

Fellows of the African Young Women Leaders (AfYWL) Fellowship Programme third cohort have taken on bold initiatives to expand economic inclusion, transform policies and create opportunities where they were once scarce. Their work reflects a deep commitment to amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities and building more equitable futures. 

Turning policy into opportunity 

For Edith-Casely Ndidi Fordjoe, economic transformation starts with women. Originally from Ghana, she has been deeply involved in the HerAfCFTA Programme at her duty station in Abuja, Nigeria. This initiative integrates capacity-building, access to prioritized policy advocacy to ensure that women entrepreneurs are not just included in Africa’s trade landscape, but prioritized. Through her work, she has supported the design of interventions that not only enhance market access for women-led MSMEs but also address critical barriers such as energy affordability and financial inclusion. “By providing renewable energy solutions for women-led MSMEs, we’ve not only lowered operational costs but also unlocked opportunities for them to scale,” she explains.

Her work in mainstreaming gender in trade and investment policies has underscored a powerful truth: when women thrive, economies thrive. She advocates for holistic solutions that go beyond market access — ensuring that energy, finance, and policy frameworks work in tandem to dismantle systemic barriers and create sustainable, inclusive economies.

For Edith-Casely, driving real change requires strategic and broad thinking. “Addressing women’s underrepresentation in trade cannot be separated from issues like energy access, financing, or policy barriers. Systems thinking is the key to sustainable impact.”

This interconnected approach is echoed in Laura Ndayizeye Izere’s work on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Namibia. While the agreement promises a single market for goods and services across Africa, access remains a challenge for small businesses, particularly those run by women and youth. “We focused on equipping MSMEs with production capacities that enable cross-broder trading and value creation in their communities,” shares Laura,  from Burundi. “This ensures that vulnerable entrepreneurs aren’t just aware of AfCFTA but have the skills and networks to navigate it.”

These efforts are not just about creating policies, but they are about ensuring those policies deliver meaningful change to the very communities they aim to serve. 

From local challenges to systemic change 

Development cannot be one-size-fits-all, especially when it comes to youth. Mino Ramiandrisoa (from Madagascar, deployed to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia) has seen this firsthand in her work with UNDP’s Strategic Innovation Unit (SIU), where she helped shift youth programming in South Sudan from fragmented projects to interconnected portfolios. 

“Young people don’t just need training: they need conducive spaces, tools and opportunities to create and lead,” she explains. This realization drove her work in designing systems-level change, ensuring that youth initiatives are not just short-term interventions but long-term enablers of growth and innovation. 

The need for inclusive systems is also at the heart of Sarah Ibui’s work on social protection mechanisms. With formal safety nets often failing to reach Africa’s most vulnerable populations, she focused on documenting and strengthening informal community-based social protection models. “In many cases, community-driven safety nets are the only source of support for people who fall outside formal systems,” she says. Sarah is originally from South Sudan, and was deployed to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

Her research has informed an even broader initiative, a regional disability inclusion programme aimed at ensuring that development reaches those most often left behind. “It’s not enough to analyse gaps. We have to advocate for real change that ensures no one is excluded.” 

Empowering youth through innovation 

The ability to trade across borders is often a luxury reserved for the well-connected — but what if young entrepreneurs were equipped with the right skills to compete in global markets? 

This question led Nozipho Hlophe, from South Africa and deployed to Ethiopia, to co-design the YouthConnekt Export Accelerator Programme, building capacity of for over 80 youth-led businesses championing innovative business and trade strategies on the continent. “Africa’s economic transformation depends on ensuring young entrepreneurs innovate, access and thrive in regional and global markets,” she explains.

For Kenyan national Grace Mwende Kalii, being part of UN General Assembly coordination efforts at her duty station in New York opened her eyes to the power of inclusive decision-making. “I work in a space where policy is shaped on a global level, and yet, the fact that I—a girl from Mwingi, am here is proof of progress,” she says. But beyond representation, she emphasizes the need to ensure that development policies are not just designed by global institutions but actively informed by the voices of those they impact most. 

The commitment to inclusive leadership is mirrored in Nozipho’s work through ensuring the AfCFTA works for women and youth. By developing tools, facilitating market access and forging strategic partnerships, she contributed to ensuring that Africa’s trade integration agenda actively empowers those who have been historically left out of the conversation.

Beyond projects: redefining leadership 

For these young women, leadership is not just about implementing projects, it is about shifting mindsets, breaking barriers and redesigning systems to be truly inclusive. 

For Edith-Casely Ndidi Fordjoe, driving change means thinking holistically. “Addressing women’s underrepresentation in trade cannot be separated from issues like energy access, financing, or policy barriers. Systems thinking is the key to sustainable impact.” 

Mino Ramiandrisoa believes transformation happens when we move beyond fragmented solutions. “Young people don’t just need training; they need spaces to grow, tools to create, and opportunities to lead. Systems change is only possible if we stop working in silos.” 

For Sarah Ibui, it is about ensuring the most vulnerable are not forgotten. “It’s not enough to analyse gaps. We must actively advocate for policies that uplift marginalized groups and ensure no one is left behind.” 

Grace Mwende Kalii reflects on how her experience reshaped her vision: “Development isn’t just about fixing problems, it’s about reimagining systems to be just, inclusive and sustainable. My five-year plan today looks very different from a year ago.” 

Echoing this, Laura Ndayizeye Izere emphasizes the need for accessibility. “For economic policies to work, women, youth, and MSMEs must have the knowledge, skills, and support to participate fully.” 

And for Nozipho Hlophe, impact is about equipping Africa’s youth to thrive. “By empowering young entrepreneurs with market access and trade skills, we’re shaping Africa’s economic present and future.”