Young people constitute a large proportion of – and a particularly vulnerable segment of – Africa’s
population. ‘Youth’ constitutes a critical stage in the life course, marked by decreasing household and
familial support. Yet as we explore here in the context of Uganda and Tanzania, young Africans are
poorly equipped for making the transition to work and financial independence. Consequently, they
suffer disproportionately from Africa’s key social and economic development challenges. Alongside
burgeoning youth populations this makes youth populations an increasingly pressing policy priority
across the continent. This chapter explores how BRAC’s Empowerment and Livelihoods for
Adolescent Girls programme (ELA) has been designed to respond to the social and economic
challenges facing young women in Uganda and Tanzania. It highlights that the impact of integrated
programmes can go beyond improved employment outcomes to improve social conditions and health
outcomes for beneficiaries and their peers at the community level.