Menzi Mhlongo

We started making waves as Livity Africa in 2011 with Live Magazine - the first youth-led publication in South Africa, which launched the careers of many industry leaders today. Through Live Mag we saw the power of digital to connect young people in new ways, and to change lives through the unique vocational learning programme we established for its young contributors. We also saw how the lack of access to basic digital skills meant that many couldn’t seize the economic opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution. This lack of access to skills holds back the transformation and economic development that Africa needs. If we cannot deliver these skills to young people, alongside employability and entrepreneurial ability, the negative impact will be far reaching, for the individual, society, business and the continent. We set up Digify Africa in 2014 to start bridging the continent’s digital divide. Digify Africa offers accessible youth-centred learning programmes at all levels, from work-ready digital skills to those needed to enter the marketing industry, or for entrepreneurs to take their hustle to the next level. What’s more, we help businesses take advantage of this incredible growing talent pool of over 85,000 movers and shakers who make up our alumni network. We do not train for training`s sake. We aim at critical skills that industry and the economy needs. Our mission is to put a stop to the digital divide. Our vision is an entire generation of youth on the African continent using the growing digital economy to launch and sustain their own livelihoods. We will activate Africa`s most valuable natural resources — young people — as a solution to one of its most critical challenges: youth unemployment.