Yanick Kemayou

The lack of perspectve for well-educated young people on the African continent drove Yanick to Germany at the age of 18. Alongside his studies, he worked here as a rubbish collector, warehouse worker and bouncer to keep his head above water. His persistence paid off: Yanick earned a doctorate in economics at the University of Paderborn and was offered a professorship at the renowned Sorbonne University.

He never let go of his homeland and the fate of his fellow human beings. That is why the native Cameroonian returned to Africa in 2018 and founded Kabakoo Academies in Mali to combat the high level of youth unemployment in West Africa. Kabakoo’s students identify local problems and acquire the relevant skills to solve these problems on the ground.

Kabakoo Academies has developed an unconventional learning programme that focuses on local impact and the integration of local knowledge with modern technologies. Kabakoo’s approach is problem-orientated: Learners work on solving social or environmental challenges that they have experienced themselves. Kabakoo provides them with technology-based tools, their own app, local trainers and a global cooperation network.

A new form of learning is revolutionising the African education system. Young people are empowered with innovative learning opportunities to build thriving communities and ecosystems and to shape a new, hopeful and sustainable Africa together.

Learners acquire skills in innovative areas such as rapid prototyping, robotics, programming & web design or in areas such as biotechnology and regenerative architecture. By doing so, they create pioneering projects and sustainable livelihoods for the local population. With support from Kabakoo trainers on site and mentors worldwide, the students develop viable business models, for example the sustainable utilisation and marketing of shea butter, an easily available local raw material. Other teams are working on new solutions for an automated irrigation system in local agriculture, a low-cost tool for monitoring local air quality, a new approach to municipal waste recycling or the development of low-cost prostheses from the 3D printer.

For these and other innovations, Kabakoo was recognised by UNESCO as one of the most pioneering learning organisations and selected by the World Economic Forum as a global pioneer for the future of learning. Since its launch in 2018, Kabakoo has mentored more than 3,000 young people in West Africa who are now working to create thriving local communities and ecosystems.