Sharmi is the Chief Impact Officer at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, a social enterprise building solutions for youth unemployment in the African context. She is also the founder of Making Caring Count. She is a fierce advocate for opportunity and social justice for young people and women across Africa, and is experienced in human capital management, education, and in facilitating links to employment in Africa, India, and the U.S. Sharmi is an Aspen African Leadership Initiative Fellow, Class of 2020 and an RSA Fellow.

She reflects on the journey of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator to becoming a national platform and highlights systems change thinking and scale that have informed their work from the very beginning as well as been vital to their impact.

Other Interesting Articles

Cape Town's Tourism Boost: Youth Employment Surges at V&A Waterfront

Harambee in the News

Cape Town’s Tourism Boost: Youth Employment Surges at V&A Waterfront

07 Dec 2023

In a recent article, Busisiwe Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership SA, highlights the critical issue of youth unemployment in South Africa and emphasizes the need for collaboration between business and government to address this pressing challenge. Mavuso points out that while businesses face various economic challenges, youth unemployment poses the most significant risk to social stability.


Read More >

 

Harambee in the News

Empowering South Africa’s Youth: The Key Role of Collaborative Partnerships

20 Nov 2023

In a recent article, Busisiwe Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership SA, highlights the critical issue of youth unemployment in South Africa and emphasizes the need for collaboration between business and government to address this pressing challenge. Mavuso points out that while businesses face various economic challenges, youth unemployment poses the most significant risk to social stability.


Read More >

 

Harambee in the News

Empowering South Africa’s Youth: The Key Role of Collaborative Partnerships

09 Nov 2023

The automotive repair industry in South Africa has long been a male-dominated field, with limited data on the representation of female artisans. This disparity in gender representation becomes even more concerning given the country’s high youth unemployment rate, particularly in the Eastern Cape, where it surpasses the national average. In response to this challenge, a groundbreaking partnership between Wise Cracks, a local windscreen repair company, and Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator was initiated. Their aim was to empower young women from townships in the Eastern Cape through entrepreneurship and to expand the market for windscreen repair, promoting both cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability.


Read More >