MaYEA: Advancing Youth Employment and Rural Transformation in Ethiopia

The Mass Youth Employment in Apiculture (MaYEA) Program seeks to unlock the potential of Ethiopia’s apiculture sector as a viable pathway for youth employment and rural economic transformation.

MaYEA is a five-year program designed to transform the apiculture sector and its allied value chains, with the ambitious goal of tripling Ethiopia’s annual honey production.

The program aims to enable approximately one million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work, with a strong focus on rural and peri-urban youth. Particular emphasis is placed on young women, who are targeted to comprise 80 percent of participants, as well as people with disabilities and refugees, who are expected to represent approximately 10 percent of beneficiaries.

Ethiopia has one of the largest youth populations in Africa, with approximately 71 percent of the population under the age of 30, presenting both a major opportunity and a pressing employment challenge.

Youth unemployment is particularly severe in urban areas, where unemployment among young people remains high, especially for young women.

In rural areas, while open unemployment is lower, the challenge is predominantly underemployment, with an estimated 45 percent of rural youth engaged in low-productivity, seasonal, or informal work that does not provide stable or sufficient income. Limited access to land, finance, skills development, and market linkages continues to constrain rural youth, driving economic vulnerability and rural-to-urban migration.

These realities underscore the urgent need for inclusive, market-driven solutions that create dignified and sustainable livelihoods for young people.

– Zemecha, participant in the MaYEA project

MaYEA is a partnership program involving the Mastercard Foundation, IIRR, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), the Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA), and other local partners.

The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the world’s largest foundations. It works with visionary organizations to advance education and financial inclusion, enabling young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work.

Through its Young Africa Works strategy, the Foundation aims to enable 30 million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030, while its EleV strategy supports 100,000 Indigenous youth in Canada to complete their education and transition to meaningful employment aligned with their traditions, values, and aspirations.

Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation operates as an independent organization.

Read more about the launch of MaYEA on our News & Updates page.