While creating opportunities for young people should be a year-round priority, Youth Month provides an opportunity to reflect on what it will take to build a future where more young South Africans can learn, thrive, contribute and participate meaningfully in the country’s growth and development.
This year’s theme, The Year of Putting Young South Africans to Work, highlights the importance of creating opportunities that enable young people to realise their potential. Building that future starts long before a young person enters the world of work. It begins in the earliest years of life, when the foundations for learning, confidence, creativity and future success are formed.
As a young professional working to support entrepreneurs and social innovators addressing early childhood challenges, Innovation Edge’s Ruben Mpanya sees firsthand how investing in children today can help unlock opportunities for generations to come. We spoke to him about youth, opportunity and why the first six years of life are significant in shaping South Africa’s future.
How has your experience as a young person influenced the way you see work and opportunity in South Africa today, especially in relation to early childhood development?
As a young South African, I have experienced both the opportunities and the frustrations that many young people face. Growing up, I saw many young people in my community who were every bit as talented, intelligent, and capable as I was. I learnt that the difference was often not talent or ambition; it was exposure and the foundations that were built during the earliest years of their lives.
Since joining Innovation Edge, I have come to appreciate how much happens before a child reaches the age of six. Those early years are when the brain develops most rapidly, forming the cognitive, language, social, and emotional capabilities that shape future learning and development. Many of the young people I grew up with only began to show significant gaps during their teenage years; struggling academically, lacking confidence, or finding it difficult to access opportunities. I realise that what looked like a teenage or employment challenge was often actually the result of developmental gaps that started much earlier in life.
That experience fundamentally shaped how I think about opportunity in South Africa. If we want to solve youth unemployment, poverty, and inequality, we should not wait until young people enter the job market. We need to invest much earlier. The strongest workforce development strategy is ensuring that every child receives the nutrition, stimulation, caregiving, and learning support they need in their first six years of life.
That is why I see Early Childhood Development (ECD) not only as a social intervention but as an economic imperative. When children develop strong cognitive foundations early on, they are more likely to succeed in school, acquire skills, access opportunities, and ultimately contribute meaningfully to the economy. In many ways, ECD is where South Africa’s future workforce is built.
In your role at Innovation Edge, what does “putting young South Africans to work” mean in practical terms, and how does it show up in the work you do every day?
For me, putting young South Africans to work is about creating pathways to opportunity rather than simply creating jobs.
Our work focuses on investing in entrepreneurs and social innovators who are solving some of the biggest challenges facing young children in South Africa. While funding is important, what makes our approach unique is the strategic non-financial support we provide to enable innovators and entrepreneurs turn promising ideas into sustainable , scalable solutions.
In practice, this means working closely with them to refine their value propositions, test and validate their solutions, build prototypes, strengthen their business models, and develop strategies to scale their impact.
We also play a connector role. We introduce entrepreneurs and innovators to potential partners, funders, government stakeholders, corporates, and experts who can support their growth. We bring together different actors within the ecosystem to ensure that great ideas are less likely to be held back by limited networks, exposure, or support.
This is particularly important for young entrepreneurs. Many have incredible ideas and passion but may not yet have access to the experience, networks, or resources needed to scale. Our role is to help bridge that gap.
In my role as a Strategic Projects Associate, I work closely within this ecosystem to support and connect innovators as they develop and grow their solutions.
Ultimately, every time we enable an innovator to strengthen their solution, reach more children and/ or their caregivers, secure follow-on funding, or scale their impact, we are helping create future jobs, build entrepreneurial capacity, and strengthen the pipeline of young South Africans who will become the next generation of business and community leaders. And because our focus is on children aged 0–6, we’re simultaneously investing in the cognitive foundations that will determine whether the next generation can fully participate in the economy decades from now.
Can you share a moment or project at IE that made you feel like your work is directly contributing to creating opportunities for young people or improving early learning outcomes?
One project that stands out for me is Hlola EmpowerCare Initiative.
The initiative supports young doctors by equipping them with the skills, tools, and entrepreneurial capabilities needed to provide affordable ultrasound services in low-resourced communities. On one level, it creates economic opportunities for young healthcare professionals by helping them build sustainable businesses. On another level, it improves maternal and child health outcomes by increasing access to early screening and intervention.
What made the project particularly meaningful was seeing how one innovation could simultaneously address multiple challenges, such as youth unemployment, healthcare access, and early childhood outcomes. It reinforced the idea that impactful solutions often sit at the intersection of economic opportunity and social impact.
This is the type of work that reminds me why innovation is crucial. When designed thoughtfully, it can improve lives today while creating opportunities for the future.
What do you think is currently holding young South Africans back from meaningful employment or entrepreneurship, and how do organisations like IE help shift that reality in your view?
I believe that one of the biggest barriers is the gap between potential and opportunity.
South Africa has an incredibly talented and resilient young population, but many young people face structural barriers including unequal access to quality education, limited social networks, lack of mentorship, insufficient access to capital, and few opportunities to gain practical experience.
In the years I have worked closely with entrepreneurs, I’ve learnt that the challenge is often even greater. Many have strong ideas but struggle to secure early-stage funding or receive the support needed to turn those ideas into sustainable solutions. Innovation Edge helps bridge that gap. We provide multiple rounds of funding and hands-on support to entrepreneurs and social innovators addressing early childhood challenges. We create an environment where promising ideas can be tested, refined, and scaled.
Looking ahead, what gives you hope about the future of young people in South Africa, and what role do you believe innovation in the ECD space can play in that future?
What gives me hope is the creativity, resilience, and ambition of South Africa’s young people.
In our space we see social innovators who are building solutions despite significant challenges. There is an incredible amount of talent and determination that often goes unnoticed.
I also believe we are seeing growing recognition that ECD is one of the most important investments a society can make. Research consistently shows that children who receive quality early childhood support are more likely to succeed in school, earn higher incomes, and contribute positively to society.
Innovation has a critical role to play because it helps us reach more children, improve quality, reduce costs, and solve challenges at scale. Whether through technology, better or new delivery models, better data, or stronger support systems for practitioners, parents and caregivers, innovation can help ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
I believe that if we want a future where more young South Africans are employed, entrepreneurial, and able to thrive, we must start by ensuring that every child has the strongest possible foundation. That is why, for me, investing in innovation in ECD is not just about children today but about building the workforce, leaders, and economy of tomorrow.
Read more insights and stories here.
Authors:
Ruben Mpanya – Strategic Projects Associate at Innovation Edge
Dimpho Lephaila – Communications Associate at Innovation Edge