The Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative (KLCI) has received N75 million in cloud credits from Amazon Web Services (AWS) under its new Education Equity Initiative. This funding will support the launch of Rafiki AI, a generative AI career advisor built to assist underserved and displaced youth across Africa. With a focus on accessibility and inclusion, the AI tool will be available via WhatsApp, making it easy for users to get personalized career guidance directly on their phones.
According to KLCI’s Chief Programme Officer, Omolola Lipede, Rafiki AI offers real-time, localized, and reflective guidance, whether users are just starting out in their careers or making mid-career shifts. She described it as more than a tool, calling it a “career buddy” that helps young people ask the right questions, reflect meaningfully, and design fulfilling career paths. The name “Rafiki,” which means “friend” in Swahili, underscores the AI’s mission to be a supportive and intuitive guide.
Built with engagement and empowerment in mind, Rafiki AI addresses a critical gap in career support for youth who face barriers to access due to poor connectivity or limited resources. By leveraging WhatsApp, Africa’s most-used messaging platform, the solution ensures that career support reaches even the most remote and underserved areas, breaking down long-standing obstacles to professional development.
This initiative comes at a time when over one in three young people in Africa are either unemployed or underemployed, with limited access to structured career guidance. KLCI sees Rafiki AI as a game-changer in democratising career development and creating equity in opportunities. Backed by AWS, the organisation aims not just to innovate, but to rewrite the future of millions of African youth by equipping them with tools to design a better, more informed professional life.
Source: Punch