MASAF Spaces
The first youth innovation hub in the Somali Region — now a blended model for inclusive skills and opportunity.
Overview
MASAF Spaces began in Jigjiga as a single physical hub — a welcoming place where young people could learn, build, and find community. It has grown into a repeatable model: a network of inclusive spaces, connected by a shared digital platform, designed to reach young people wherever they are.
Why MASAF Spaces Matter
Young people in underserved communities face stacked barriers: limited access to training that matches the real economy, few physical spaces to collaborate, weak mentorship networks, and little visibility of opportunities. Women, IDPs, and persons with disabilities face even steeper barriers.
MASAF Spaces lower those barriers by offering inclusive places, practical curricula, peer community, and direct connections to employers and enterprises — bundled into one sustained experience.
Youth who engage with MASAF Spaces consistently report gains in confidence, skills, and employment — and become mentors, facilitators, and program leaders themselves.
Services Available to Youth
- 01
Skills Development & Lifelong Learning
Short courses and workshops in employability, leadership, and industry-relevant skills.
- 02
Digital Literacy & Technology Access
From foundational digital skills to coding, data, and creative tools — with access to devices and connectivity.
- 03
Entrepreneurship Training & Business Coaching
Practical curricula and one-on-one coaching for aspiring and early-stage founders.
- 04
Startup Incubation & MSME Support
Structured support for early-stage ventures, including workspace, mentorship, and investor readiness.
- 05
Mentorship & Peer Networking
Curated mentor matches and peer cohorts that turn isolated ambition into collective momentum.
- 06
Career Guidance & Employability Support
CV and portfolio coaching, interview preparation, and direct introductions to employer partners.
- 07
Community Dialogues & Youth Leadership Programs
Forums where young people lead conversations on the issues shaping their communities.
Physical & Digital Model
Physical MASAF Spaces
Inclusive hubs offering hands-on training, peer learning, and youth-led initiatives. Open, accessible, and designed to feel like a second home for young people.
Digital MASAF Spaces
An online platform for training, virtual mentorship, business support, and career guidance — extending MASAF's reach far beyond any single city.
Peer Support & Youth Leadership
Young people don't just attend MASAF Spaces — they run them. Graduates return as facilitators, mentors, and program leads. It's the most reliable indicator we have that the model is working.
Impact & Long-Term Vision
We are building toward a network of MASAF Spaces across Africa — a reference model for inclusive, youth-led development. Each new space is a commitment to the idea that opportunity should not depend on where you were born.
Open a MASAF Space in your community, or partner on the digital platform.
Partner With Us