Expanding Changemaker Courses in Africa with Amala alumni and new partners
When Sudi, Seth and Joseph started the Amala Global Secondary Diploma, they were setting out to finish their secondary education, develop new skills and their changemaking power. The projects they started as part of the GSD - the Personal Interest Project - developed into what are now established organisations running Amala Changemaker Courses themselves.
Amala has established a number of new partnerships with organisations across Africa, many of which are refugee-led, to expand the number and diversity of young displaced people we can reach through Changemaker Courses. In Abuja, Nigeria, ISGIL - Initiatives for Social Inclusion and Grassroots Literacy - has just finished running our Social Entrepreneurship course to internally displaced youth, bringing Amala’s curriculum to West Africa for the first time since our partnership with Bright in Yaounde, Cameroon in 2020. In Torit, South Sudan, students at Innovative Development Initiative (IDI) have completed courses in Peacebuilding and Social Entrepreneurship - with an Amala alumnus working with them as a facilitator.
Sudi and programme participants at Girl Power Action Initiative (image used with permission from GPAI)
“The social entrepreneurship course has expanded my perspective, demonstrating that with tenacity, intentionality, and dedication, it is possible to drive meaningful societal change and empower the younger generation to transition from dependency to productivity.”
Sudi, who is from Sudan and was part of the first cohort of GSD students in Kakuma Camp, Kenya, founded Girl Power Action Initiative (GPAI) to increase awareness of gender based violence, educate on sexual and reproductive health and advocate for the rights of refugee girls and women. The organisation developed from Sudi’s Personal Interest Project in 2021, a central piece of work that students create as part of the programme, and in 2024 reached over 600 young women. Now running the Amala Social Entrepreneurship and English for Changemakers courses alongside existing community-based programmes, Girl Power Action Initiative is reaching many more.
“Girl Power Action Initiative is a women-led organisation working in Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Settlement in Turkana County. Our motivation for bringing Amala courses to the community stems from the belief that learning and practical skills can drive positive change, especially in areas with high unemployment and limited opportunities.
Alongside Amala courses, GPAI runs community-led programmes including Dignity Drive for menstrual health and reusable pads, Safe Sisterhood supporting survivors of gender-based violence, WeMean Business helping women turn skills into income, and Honest Gender Dialogues that raise awareness on sexual and reproductive health and GBV prevention.”
Seth and Joseph
The Discover is an organisation established by Seth and Joseph, who started the GSD the year after Sudi. The Discover works with vulnerable refugees living in Kakuma Camp, namely single mothers, orphans, and those living with physical disabilities. Seth and Joseph’s organisation is implementing livelihood programmes, such as tailoring and cosmetics, as well as education programmes including English, leadership, digital skills, and training in professional document writing training, and is now bringing Amala’s Social Entrepreneurship Changemaker Course to 26 young people.
An Amala class taking place at The Discover
“We are very happy to work with Amala and bring these courses to our community at The Discover. Our motivation is to give young people the opportunity to learn new skills, grow their confidence, and think about how they can create positive change in their community.
We are already seeing a good impact on the students. They are becoming more active in discussions, sharing their ideas, and thinking more about solutions to challenges around them. The courses are helping them develop leadership, creativity, and teamwork.”
A number of further exciting new partnerships in Kenya are helping bring transformative learning opportunities to young people and communities across the country through Changemaker Courses: Bidii Africa supports youth and refugees with business skills, mentorship, and psychosocial services in Nairobi. Acare in Kakuma advances menstrual health, nutrition, education, and sustainable livelihoods for women and children, and Reading Lenses in Kakuma, founded by Changemaker Course alumnus Luka, promotes literacy, digital skills, creativity, and youth leadership among refugee and host communities.
As these partnerships grow, so does the reach of Changemaker Courses across the region. Working alongside local organisations and alumni leaders enables Amala to support more young people with the tools, skills, and confidence to take forward their own ideas for change. These collaborations mark an important step in expanding Changemaker Courses across Africa, increasingly shaped and delivered by the very communities they are designed to serve - with alumni and local partners playing a central role in bringing meaningful learning and opportunity to more young people.
Above left: ISGIL (Nigeria) graduation and above right: a class at IDI (South Sudan) taking place