YOCEL is a social enterprise accelerator focused on empowering young people, particularly women and girls, to engage in entrepreneurship and job creation that will boost their economic livelihood and reduce poverty.
As an organization, YOCEL believes that when women and youth are trained and given adequate resources, they will create jobs, contribute to improved living standards, and reduce poverty.
YOCEL’s theory of change is premised on building an agency of people living in poverty and providing them with information and means to enable them to act and move out of poverty.
In 2013, we began our civil society journey in Lofa when the United Nations Secretary-General’s announced at the UN General Assembly that the “Global Education First Initiative” will be commemorated in honor of Malala, calling it Malala Day.
Malala was an adolescent girl in Pakistan advocating for quality education for girls. Through her advocacy, she was gun down during the protest in her hometown. Fortunately, she survived that horrific tragedy. Her advocacy gained huge global attention, including the UN Secretary General’s Ban Ki-Moon, and there was a moment in her honor at the UN General Assembly.
Several young leaders from around the world representing nearly 100 different countries and over 100 other Partner organizations hosted a series of events commemorating that day and supporting global education for all children worldwide. YOCEL joined the worldwide campaign.