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The MateleFoundation

What We Do

Pathways to Potential

Five connected pathways and one flagship journey, each helping young people discover who they are, grow their gifts and lead change in their communities.

No young person walks alone.

The five pathways

Each pathway focuses on one part of a young person's life, and all five work together, because real growth is whole-person growth.

Our flagship programme

The Purpose Project

Our flagship journey begins with one question — “Who are you becoming?” — and walks alongside young people through four stages: Discover, Develop, Lead and Impact.

  1. Stage 1: Discover

    “Who am I?”

    Identity, values, strengths and aspirations.

  2. Stage 2: Develop

    “What can I become?”

    Life skills, leadership, emotional intelligence and decision-making.

  3. Stage 3: Lead

    “How can I serve others?”

    Servant leadership, peer mentoring and volunteering.

  4. Stage 4: Impact

    “How can I leave my community better than I found it?”

    Enterprise, innovation, civic engagement, employment and community projects.

Discover The Purpose ProjectSee the programme calendar

One system, not five tracks

Where the pathways meet

  1. What we invest in

    The five pathways

    Mentorship, education, health, livelihoods and community: the subject of every activity.

  2. When and how a young person moves forward

    The Purpose Project

    Discover, Develop, Lead, Impact: where an activity sits in the journey.

  3. Why it works

    Our approach

    Purpose, guidance, opportunity and hope: what each activity builds in a young person.

Every Matele activity has a pathway (what), a stage (when) and a building block (why).

Signature projects

  • The Purpose Cohort

    A group of young people who move together through Discover, Develop, Lead and Impact over about a year, experiencing all five pathways. Everything else plugs into it.

    All five pathways

  • Purpose Camps

    Holiday intensives in April, August and December that deepen the Discover and Develop stages and welcome new members.

    All five pathways

  • Community Impact Day

    A yearly showcase of young people's community projects, a thank-you to partners and a welcome to the next cohort.

    All five pathways

  • Youth Enterprise & Innovation Fair

    Enterprise teams pitch to banks, employers and buyers, and build links to markets.

    Mentorship & Leadership · Education & Career · Economic Empowerment

  • Peer Champions Network

    Young peer leaders in mentorship, health, careers and finance, supporting the young people coming after them.

    All five pathways

  • The Matele Referral Spine

    One safeguarded system connecting any young person to counselling, health and child-protection services.

    All five pathways

  • Family & Community Dialogue Series

    Quarterly forums that keep parents, chiefs, and faith and school leaders part of the journey.

    Community & Family

  • Alumni & Mentor Loop

    Young people who reach Impact come back as mentors and coaches for the next cohort.

    All five pathways

Our approach

When young people have purpose, opportunity, guidance and hope, communities flourish.

  • Purpose

    Discovering identity, strengths and direction.

  • Guidance

    Mentorship, trusted relationships, life skills and role models.

  • Opportunity

    Pathways to education, leadership, employment, enterprise and civic life.

  • Hope

    Resilience, confidence and the belief that tomorrow can be better.

Leading to

  1. Thriving Young People
  2. Strong Families
  3. Resilient Communities
  4. Sustainable Development
Pathway 1

Mentorship & Leadership Development

Growing confident, ethical and resilient young leaders through mentoring and leadership experiences.

To nurture confident, ethical, resilient and purpose-driven young people through meaningful mentoring relationships and leadership experiences.

What we do

  • Youth mentorship forums
  • School mentorship programmes
  • Leadership academies
  • Holiday mentorship camps
  • Peer mentorship clubs
  • A Young Leaders Fellowship
  • Volunteer and community service

How it works

Every pathway follows the four stages of The Purpose Project.

  1. Stage 1: Discover

    “Who am I?”

    • Mentor pairing
    • Identity and strengths discovery circles

  2. Stage 2: Develop

    “What can I become?”

    • Leadership academy
    • Monthly school mentorship sessions
    • Peer-leader training
    • Holiday camps

  3. Stage 3: Lead

    “How can I serve others?”

    • Youth-led peer clubs
    • Young Leaders Fellowship
    • Community service

  4. Stage 4: Impact

    “How can I leave my community better than I found it?”

    • Graduates return as mentors
    • Young people take on leadership roles in school and community

Programmes

  • Young Leaders Fellowship

    Leadership experiences, peer mentoring and service for young people ready to lead.

  • Peer Mentorship Clubs

    Youth-led clubs where young people mentor and support one another.

  • Holiday Mentorship Camps

    Camps in the April, August and December school holidays.

Building partnerships with schools, professional and alumni mentors, and faith and community leaders.Partner with us

Partner with usVolunteer or mentorJoin a programme
Pathway 2

Education & Career Development

Knowledge, guidance and opportunities to succeed in education and discover meaningful careers.

To equip young people with the knowledge, guidance and opportunities needed to succeed in education, discover meaningful careers and pursue lifelong learning.

What we do

  • Career guidance and mentorship
  • Academic support
  • STEM promotion
  • Scholarship and bursary awareness
  • TVET and university transition support
  • Digital literacy
  • Reading and innovation clubs

How it works

Every pathway follows the four stages of The Purpose Project.

  1. Stage 1: Discover

    “Who am I?”

    • Exploring interests and aptitudes
    • Career mapping and exposure

  2. Stage 2: Develop

    “What can I become?”

    • Academic support
    • STEM, digital and reading clubs
    • Scholarship clinics
    • Career Day

  3. Stage 3: Lead

    “How can I serve others?”

    • Peer tutoring
    • Career ambassadors
    • STEM showcase

  4. Stage 4: Impact

    “How can I leave my community better than I found it?”

    • Transitions into further education, TVET or work
    • Scholarships
    • An alumni network

Building partnerships with schools, TVET colleges and universities, bursary and scholarship programmes, digital-skills programmes and libraries.Partner with us

Partner with usVolunteer or mentorJoin a programme
Pathway 3

Health & Wellbeing

Physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing, and the skills for healthy decision-making.

To promote the physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing of young people by equipping them with knowledge, resilience and healthy decision-making skills.

What we do

  • Mental health awareness
  • Psychosocial support
  • Sexual and reproductive health education
  • Menstrual health education
  • Nutrition and healthy lifestyles
  • Sports and recreation
  • Substance-abuse prevention
  • Family engagement
  • Dental and oral health
  • Referral to counselling, healthcare and child-protection services where needed

How it works

Every pathway follows the four stages of The Purpose Project.

  1. Stage 1: Discover

    “Who am I?”

    • Mental-health literacy
    • Body and mind self-awareness
    • Safe spaces

  2. Stage 2: Develop

    “What can I become?”

    • Sessions on sexual and reproductive health, menstrual health, substance abuse, nutrition and resilience (with consent)

  3. Stage 3: Lead

    “How can I serve others?”

    • Peer health educators
    • Sports and wellbeing-club leaders
    • Awareness sessions

  4. Stage 4: Impact

    “How can I leave my community better than I found it?”

    • Youth-led health campaigns
    • Confidence to seek help and use referrals
    • Healthier peer norms

Programmes

  • The Matele Referral Spine

    One safeguarded system connecting any young person to counselling, health and child-protection services.

  • Peer Health Champions

    Young people trained to share health knowledge with their peers.

  • Sports & Recreation League

    Sport and play that build fitness, teamwork and wellbeing.

  • Nutrition and dental pilots

    Starting small with nutrition and dental and oral health activities.

Building partnerships with hospitals and health services, youth-health and humanitarian organisations, and child-protection services, including the National Child Helpline 116.Partner with us

Partner with usVolunteer or mentorJoin a programme
Pathway 4

Economic Empowerment

Entrepreneurial, financial and employability skills for meaningful livelihoods.

To prepare young people for meaningful livelihoods by building entrepreneurial, financial and employability skills.

What we do

  • Entrepreneurship development
  • Financial literacy
  • Savings and investment education
  • Digital and employability skills
  • Agribusiness and green enterprises
  • Business incubation
  • Employment readiness
  • Business coaching and livelihood linkages

How it works

Every pathway follows the four stages of The Purpose Project.

  1. Stage 1: Discover

    “Who am I?”

    • An entrepreneurial mindset
    • Mapping local opportunities and value chains

  2. Stage 2: Develop

    “What can I become?”

    • Entrepreneurship training
    • Financial literacy
    • Employability and digital skills
    • Savings groups

  3. Stage 3: Lead

    “How can I serve others?”

    • Enterprise teams pitch their ideas
    • Youth savings groups
    • Peer coaching

  4. Stage 4: Impact

    “How can I leave my community better than I found it?”

    • Youth Enterprise & Innovation Fair
    • Business incubation
    • Agribusiness
    • Employment and market linkages

Programmes

  • Youth Enterprise & Innovation Fair

    Enterprise teams pitch to banks, employers and buyers, and build links to markets.

  • Agribusiness & Green-Enterprise track

    Farming and green business, aligned with the highland growing seasons.

  • Savings & Financial-Literacy Groups

    Young people learn to save, budget and plan together.

Building partnerships with banks, SACCOs and microfinance institutions, youth enterprise funds, agricultural extension services and employers.Partner with us

Partner with usVolunteer or mentorJoin a programme
Pathway 5

Community & Family Engagement

Strengthening the families, schools and leaders around every young person.

To strengthen the network of support surrounding every young person by engaging families, schools, community leaders and institutions as active partners.

What we do

  • Community listening
  • Parent and guardian forums
  • School partnerships
  • Community dialogues
  • Faith and cultural leader engagement
  • Volunteer mobilisation through the Friends of Matele volunteers
  • Youth advocacy through the Matele Youth Network
  • Community awareness campaigns

How it works

Every pathway follows the four stages of The Purpose Project.

  1. Stage 1: Discover

    “Who am I?”

    • Listening to the community
    • Mapping each young person's support network

  2. Stage 2: Develop

    “What can I become?”

    • Parent forums
    • Community dialogues
    • School partnerships
    • Welcoming Friends of Matele volunteers
    • Livelihood groups (with Economic Empowerment)

  3. Stage 3: Lead

    “How can I serve others?”

    • Matele Youth Network activities
    • Youth advocacy
    • Awareness campaigns
    • Volunteer-led service

  4. Stage 4: Impact

    “How can I leave my community better than I found it?”

    • Lasting partnerships
    • Parent champions
    • Community ownership

Programmes

  • Matele Youth Network

    Young people raising their voices through advocacy, awareness campaigns and service.

  • Friends of Matele

    Our volunteers, giving their time and skills to the community.

  • Family & Community Dialogue Series

    Quarterly forums that keep parents, chiefs, and faith and school leaders part of the journey.

Building partnerships with local administration and chiefs, faith institutions, schools and parents' associations, community and women's groups, and community radio.Partner with us

Partner with usVolunteer or mentorJoin a programme
Flagship programme

The Purpose Project

Where it begins

“Who are you becoming?”

Our flagship journey begins with one question — “Who are you becoming?” — and walks alongside young people through four stages: Discover, Develop, Lead and Impact.

At every stage, mentors, families and community walk alongside young people. No young person walks alone.

The four stages

  1. Stage 1: Discover

    “Who am I?”

    Identity, values, strengths and aspirations.

  2. Stage 2: Develop

    “What can I become?”

    Life skills, leadership, emotional intelligence and decision-making.

  3. Stage 3: Lead

    “How can I serve others?”

    Servant leadership, peer mentoring and volunteering.

  4. Stage 4: Impact

    “How can I leave my community better than I found it?”

    Enterprise, innovation, civic engagement, employment and community projects.

The Purpose Cohort

Young people move through the journey together as a cohort over about a year, experiencing all five pathways along the way.

  1. Hear about Matele
  2. Register
  3. Getting to know you
  4. Join a Purpose Cohort
  5. Discover
  6. Develop
  7. Lead
  8. Impact
  9. Alumni
  10. Return as a mentor

Those who reach Impact come back as mentors and peer champions for the next cohort, so the journey becomes a loop. The four stages are a rhythm, not a deadline. Every young person moves at their own pace, and some need healing before they can lead.

See the programme calendar
Partner with usVolunteer or mentorJoin a programme

Get involved

Partner with us, give your time as a volunteer or mentor, or get in touch about joining a programme.

Partner with usVolunteer or mentorJoin a programme

Join Us in Building a Future Where Young People Thrive

Whether you volunteer, mentor, partner, or give — every contribution makes a difference.

Donate NowGet Involved
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Volunteer With Us

Volunteers are the backbone of the Matele Foundation. Whether you can give a few hours a month or commit to a longer-term role, there's a place for you.

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Become a Mentor

Mentors are at the heart of our Mentorship & Leadership pathway. Share your experience, guide a young person, and be part of their journey to discovering their purpose.

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Partner With Us

We welcome partnerships with businesses, NGOs, government agencies and community organisations that share our commitment to youth development.