This social enterprise incubator program is designed to give youth practical skills and a sustainable future. In each incubator, young people gain hands-on training in fabrication, hairdressing, clothing production, and multimedia, while also learning what it takes to run a business. They don’t just practice a craft; they also develop entrepreneurship skills such as customer service, bookkeeping, and marketing.
What makes Norviwo Innovations unique is that the products and services created by the youth generate real income, which is reinvested back into the program to fund training, equipment, and materials. This model sustains the incubators while ensuring every participant leaves with practical skills, business knowledge, and the confidence to create opportunities for themselves and their communities.
By donating towards our Norviwo Community Centre, or volunteering to help out, you can help make a difference in the lives of former street residents on their way to becoming responsible and engaged citizens.
Make A Donation Become A VolunteerNorviwo Extended Family Support (NEFS) is a support system for street residents in our program. NEFS are students and professionals from various walks of life who volunteer to add value to the lives of current and former street residents.
From FOA’s Midzo to Mialike programs, NEFS serves as extended family members to current and former street residents. Their service with FOA includes, but not limited to, serving meals, reading circles, providing first-aid, assisting with family tracing, providing job opportunities, accommodation, skills training, financial literacy, mentorship, and other services that add value to the lives of current and former street residents.
Being a NEFS member also serves to provide leadership opportunities for aspiring social change makers. They contribute their abilities, resources, and networks to bring positive change to the lives of children in street situations. With a vision for service-driven leadership, FOA recruits individuals and organizations that are like-minded in values, who believe in their personal responsibility to bring positive change in their communities.
FOA receives on average 10 requests from street residents to leave the streets every month. We have transitioned 34 into Miahaya, traced 100% of their families, and enrolled 14 in our Miasrornu program. 100% of street residents who ran back to the streets return to FOA for multiple second-chances.
In 2021, we are prioritising mental and emotional health services to help street residents deal with addictions and trauma that keep them stuck in unhealthy cycles.
Every moment a child is off the streets and in the classroom is another moment for the Future of Africa.
In August we hosted our Fresh Start Ceremony and it was one of those days that reminded us why we do this work. We celebrated exciting new beginnings of youth who once spent years on the street without hope and purpose.
We piloted art and music therapy during Wellness Wednesday and now street youth come attend outreach more often, stay engaged, and look forward to finishing projects and learning new dances.
Staff and volunteers recently underwent a professional development workshop where we’ve learned to respond with more compassion, understand trauma better, and support each youth in a way that helps them truly thrive.