1. Partner Basics

Organisation: Neftaly
Country: South Africa
Role in UniAfric (WP / activities):
Capacity building and community engagement; delivery of non-formal education activities; local workshops; support to participant recruitment and mentoring; contribution to impact and sustainability actions.

Contact person: Neftaly Malatjie

2. Country Needs (Relevance)

South Africa faces a severe youth employability crisis, disproportionately affecting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including migrants and refugees. Structural unemployment, skills mismatches, and limited access to quality work experience continue to exclude many young people from the labour market. Migrant and refugee youth face compounded barriers such as documentation challenges, discrimination, language gaps, and limited access to skills development and social networks.

These challenges are particularly urgent in the 2024–2026 period due to slow economic recovery, rising living costs, and increasing pressure on community-level social cohesion. Youth unemployment fuels social exclusion, insecurity, and disengagement, while limited integration opportunities weaken community resilience. There is a critical need for inclusive, skills-oriented, and community-based approaches that combine employability, soft skills, and civic engagement.

Sports-based and non-formal learning methodologies are especially relevant in the South African context, as they enable engagement of hard-to-reach youth, foster intercultural dialogue, and strengthen transferable skills such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. UniAfric directly responds to these needs by linking employability, inclusion, and community participation.

Key Data (mandatory):

• Youth unemployment rate: ~45–46% (ages 15–34)
  Source: Statistics South Africa (Quarterly Labour Force Survey, 2023/24)
• Migrant/refugee youth data: South Africa hosts approx. 250,000 refugees and asylum seekers; a significant proportion are youth facing barriers to education and employment
  Source: UNHCR South Africa Country Operations

3. Your Added Value (Quality)

Neftaly has extensive experience in youth empowerment, employability support, and community-based non-formal education across South Africa. The organisation works directly with unemployed youth, migrants, and vulnerable groups, using practical, participatory methods that build both technical and life skills. Neftaly has strong grassroots networks and trusted relationships with local communities, enabling effective outreach and inclusion of hard-to-reach participants. Its experience in mentoring, workshops, and skills development programmes positions Neftaly well to implement UniAfric activities and contribute to capacity building, impact monitoring, and sustainability. The organisation’s alignment with sports-based and experiential learning approaches strengthens the quality and relevance of the project.

4. Participants & Selection

Target group profile:

• Youth aged 18–30
• Unemployed or underemployed
• Including migrants, refugees, and youth from disadvantaged communities
• Facing socio-economic or integration barriers

Recruitment channels:

• Community organisations and local partners
• Youth centres and NGOs
• Social media and community outreach

Selection criteria:

• Motivation to participate and learn
• Socio-economic vulnerability
• Commitment to full participation
• Gender balance and diversity considerations

5. Expected Impact (Critical for ESR)

By end of project:

• Improved employability skills (communication, teamwork, leadership)
• Increased self-confidence and civic engagement
• Enhanced intercultural understanding and social inclusion

6–12 months after:

• Participants accessing jobs, internships, or further training
• Continued engagement in community or youth initiatives
• Strengthened local capacity of Neftaly to deliver inclusive employability programmes

6. Safety & Inclusion (Very brief)

• Existing safeguarding and child/youth protection policies
• Non-discrimination and equal access principles
• Risk assessments and supervision during activities and mobility
• Clear codes of conduct for staff and participants

7. Sustainability Commitment

Neftaly commits to sustaining UniAfric results beyond the project by integrating developed tools, methodologies, and learning materials into its ongoing youth programmes. Partnerships established through the project will be maintained to support future activities, exchanges, and community initiatives. Neftaly will continue to apply the sports-based and non-formal learning approaches to improve youth employability and inclusion, ensuring that project outcomes have lasting impact at local level.