Youth in Africa are adversely affected by the increasing incidence of poverty, which limits their access to social services such as basic education, health care, job training and employment. Young people constitute a major potential resource for Africa's economic development - the failure to provide opportunities for this large generation could have enormous economic, cultural, political and social consequences.

Because of the limited vacancies in the job market, the number of unemployed youth in all of Africa grew by about 34 percent between 1995 and 2005. As the fastest growing labor force in the world, youth in Sub-Saharan Africa will be increasingly difficult to accommodate in the labor market in the future if appropriate job skill training and employment opportunities are not instituted in the next few years.

Gorilla Droppings Wealth Generation programs is on track to launch Uganda and Rwanda late 2008. This initiative is focused on stimulating the growth of small and medium youth - centered enterprise in Africa. PHA believes that SMEs in Africa can serve as powerful engines of economic growth, jobs and opportunities for underserved youth in Africa. More information on Gorilla Droppings will follow upon the program launch.