Target Beneficiaries:

Amplifying Youth Voice Worldwide

Youth Startup Fund was founded by Richard Tusabe, a Ugandan-born social innovator whose personal journey embodies both the potential of youth leadership and the barriers young founders face in accessing support. Raised as an orphan in the remote Ssese Islands on Lake Victoria, Kalangala District, Uganda, Richard grew up in conditions of extreme poverty that would have limited most people’s possibilities. Instead, those experiences forged an unshakable determination to create opportunities not only for himself but for countless others facing similar struggles.

Direct Beneficiaries:
Youth-Led Organizations

Leadership Demographics

  • Founded by person(s) aged 16-35
  • Youth in genuine leadership positions
  • Founders with lived experience of problems they address
  • First-time organizational founders or emerging social entrepreneurs

Organizational Characteristics

  • Early-stage (0-3 years since founding)
  • Limited or no previous philanthropic support
  • Operating budgets typically under $100,000 annually
  • Small teams (founder plus 1-10 volunteers or part-time staff)
  • Strong community roots but limited formal infrastructure

Issue Areas We Support

Geographic Focus:
Prioritizing the Global South

  • Sub-Saharan Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and others
  • South Asia: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan
  • Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia
  • Latin America: Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, Brazil
  • Middle East and North Africa: Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco
  • Underserved communities globally: Including marginalized communities in high-income countries

Issue Areas We Support

YSF supports youth-led organizations working on diverse challenges:

  • Poverty alleviation and economic opportunity
  • Environmental conservation and climate action
  • Education access and quality
  • Health and wellness (including mental health)
  • Gender equality and women’s empowerment
  • Human rights and social justice
  • Community development and civic engagement
  • Technology and digital inclusion
  • Youth voice and civic participation

Indirect Beneficiaries:
Communities Transformed

Through supporting youth-led organizations, YSF indirectly benefits the communities and populations these organizations serve. Each youth-led organization supported by YSF typically serves 100-5,000 people directly in their first years, meaning YSF’s impact extends to tens of thousands of community members through the organizations we support.

Youth & Children

Young people in underserved communities gaining access to education, mentorship, and opportunities

Women & Girls

Women and girls facing discrimination or limited opportunity receiving support and empowerment

Rural Communities

Rural and remote communities with limited services accessing vital programs and resources

Urban Settlements

Urban informal settlements and marginalized neighborhoods receiving community development support

Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous communities preserving culture, rights, and traditional knowledge

Displaced Populations

Displaced populations and refugees receiving essential services and advocacy