YAKA

YAKA
YES Akademia (“YAKA”) offers programs focused on crosscultural, community development via empowerment programs with youth aged 15-35, largely from marginalized, inner-city or rural areas. YAKA accompanies about 500 youth per year in Paris and its suburbs, plus other regions of France and abroad (Senegal, India, Haiti, Tunisia and Nicaragua) with the aim to help them develop ideas, leadership and projects in civic engagement, intercultural knowledge and social entrepreneurship. YAKA’s main programs are “IMPOWER” and “PRESS START”: 100-500 hours of workshops and training for 2 weeks to 18 months with mentoring and travel. YAKA youth build practical tools, competencies and soft skills such as self-confidence, courage, critical thinking skills, openness and an awareness of their environment which motivates them to launch entrepreneurial actions with social impact, pursue higher education or advance personal goals. These programs take place in France and abroad with partners rooted in the territories.
The Comgest Foundation supported YAKA’s 2021/2022 international exchange activities involving approximately 100 youth from France, Senegal, India and Tunisia.

1) 14-day immersion trip for 18 French and Senegalese youth in Aga Biram, Mbour (Senegal
2) One-week social entrepreneurship program for 15 youth in Paris and Tunis (Tunisia);
3) Multiple workshops and community-building actions in Ivry-sur-Seine for 80 people; and
4) Formation of a steering committee for YAKA’s training kit.