Yepafrica was founded in 2007 by Paul Engelsman, a Human Resources Executive and social entrepreneur who previously worked for companies such as Shell, Van Melle, MEXX and Vlisco. The YEP Foundation was formally established in the Netherlands in May 2008.
A COUNTRY WHERE YOUTH HAS NO FUTURE IS A COUNTRY WITHOUT A FUTURE
YEP stands for Youth EmPowerment (empowerment of young people). In recent years, YEP has become a major player in the development of youth empowerment and entrepreneurship. Our experience in empowering young people in The Gambia has taught us that young people with high self-esteem are able to change the lives of families, communities and even entire villages and areas.
We consider young people to be the most important catalysts for sustainable change and for creating independence in developing countries. That is why the empowerment of young people is central to all our programs.
We operate Learning Centres in Gambia, Senegal and Ghana. Our plan for the coming years is to have 10 Centers operational in these countries.
The Yepafrica board has max 5 members and is funded by private sponsors and entrepreneurs. Supported by many volunteers, Dutch universities and entrepreneurs, Yepafrica is able to perform all its activities on a voluntary basis. Only the staff in Africa is paid.
