Vuyo Pakade
Foonda connects graduates and students with employers through technology.
"Empowering young Africans to break barriers to better futures."
"We're building an all in one entry level talent market place that enables skilled youth in Africa and other underserved communities to access global employment opportunities by using AI to simplify job seeking and up skilling processes from end to end."
"Our mission is to make it easier for all young people to realise their full potential on the global stage."
Foonda was inspired by the #feesmustfall movement of 2015, during which time it became apparent to Founder Vuyo Pakade just how difficult it is for many people to obtain financial aid for their studies. He saw the opportunity to tackle the problem head-on and launched the Foonda app.
While it started as a scholarship platform, today, it places graduates with companies looking for entry-level talent.
So far, Foonda has helped place 15 candidates in two organisations in July 2021 and placed ten more graduates in October 2021. Their goal is to transform it into a scalable solution that helps more youth gain job-readiness skills and transition from tertiary education to employment.
Ambitions for the future
Vuyo's vision is to help 100 000 youth find employment by 2026 and 1 million by 2030. In addition, he plans to expand throughout Africa, helping young people in underserved communities across the world.