SEED Program Mobilizes Over 325,000 Youth into Work, Reaching 1.1 Million+ Youth in two and a half years

The Sustainable Employment through Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED) Program, led by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has exceeded its initial benchmarks for economic inclusion and job creation at the two-and-a-half -year mark.

To date, the program has reached 1,167,804 youth and transitioned 325,204 young people into the workforce through a strategic blend of vocational training and enterprise support. The program maintains a strong focus on gender equity, with women representing 78% of total outreach.

A core component of the SEED Program has supported the establishment and expansion of 52,300 enterprises in scaling their operations. Through a strategic partnership with the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), the program has facilitated ETB 3.71 billion financing to date. The majority of this capital, totaling ETB 3.62 billion, was disbursed as loans to 15,563 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to support their operational growth.

Additionally, the program supported innovation by providing ETB 79.3 million in grants to 347 incubated startups. Further expanding its reach into digital finance, 410 enterprises successfully accessed ETB 18.5 million in funding through the SAFEE shared facility.

The program is also strengthening the foundations of skills development. The program has already achieved its goal by establishing four TVT Leadership Development Centers. Furthermore, 1,022 TVET leaders have been trained (102.2% of the target) to ensure the quality of vocational education in Ethiopia.

The program’s inclusiveness remains a priority, having reached 7,214 vulnerable individuals and transitioning 3,270 into employment. As EDI moves into the next phase, the focus remains on optimizing this framework for inclusive enterprise-led development. By utilizing data-driven insights, the SEED Program ensures it remains responsive to the evolving demand of the yout