On this End Poverty Day, we’re thinking of the millions of people across Africa that are striving for a better life - for the chance to earn a decent living, care for their families, and invest in the next generation. We know that too often the pathway out of poverty remains blocked by the scarcity of productive jobs and challenges to creating those jobs. As Africa’s population continues to grow rapidly, the challenge intensifies: creating enough jobs for the young people entering the labor market each year demands a fundamental shift in how economies grow and how opportunities are created.
The World Bank Group has put jobs at the center of its mission to end poverty. From infrastructure and energy to agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and manufacturing, we’re helping countries unlock sectors that can create jobs at scale. Our focus is on building the foundations - reliable infrastructure, skilled people, fair and transparent policies - and on mobilizing private investment to fuel growth and entrepreneurship.
We know jobs do more than raise incomes; they give people dignity, hope, and a stake in their future. On this End Poverty Day, World Bank directors, managers, and staff across Africa reflect on how countries can accelerate progress toward this shared goal.
Read their perspectives below:
From poverty to prosperity: A shared commitment to jobs, equity and resilience for Somalia |
Africa: From growth to inclusion, meeting the employment challenge in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (French) |
Job creation: The path to inclusive growth and poverty reduction in South Africa |
Tackling Malawi’s jobs challenge |
Jobs first: The sustainable path to prosperity through employment |
Mozambique: Jobs as a pathway out of poverty |
Small but mighty: Empowering Kenya’s small businesses to create jobs and spur resilience By Ahmed Mohamed Tawfick Rostom, Senior Financial Sector Specialist and Leah Mumbi Kiwara, Financial Sector Specialist |
