My-Lens

Youth-Led Environmental and Nutritional Surveillance

Our Mission:

Youth empowered data collection for better food systems.

We aim to address:

1. Youth Unemployment

Over 1 in 4 youth are unemployed.

In sub-Saharan Africa, youth unemployment has a staggering 25.7% of young people (ages 15-24) classified as NEET—not in employment, education, or training—according to the International Labour Organization data in 2022. These statistics were already increasing prior to the pandemic, and continue to persist in the face of global challenges.

2. Food Security & Surveillance

Over 20% of Africans are undernourished, in which 93% is located in sub-Saharan Africa.

At least 9 million Africans are food insecure, leading to outcomes ranging from the increased susceptibility to diseases to deaths. This number exceeds the combined fatalities from AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB).

3. Data Gaps in Food System Research

Rural and informal market research gaps.

For low-income countries, there are significant research gaps in rural and informal markets, which is where the majority of the population source their food. Gathering information in these areas are challenging, and data collection often fails to capture long-term trends, including seasonal variations that impact food availability.