Highdigenous Ventures

informal-sector productivity

Over 85% of Africans already work outside the formal sector, while productivity tools remain geared toward the formal sector

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Over 85% of Africans already work outside the formal sector, while productivity tools remain geared toward the formal sector.

Primary evidence

Over 85% of Africans already work outside the formal sector, while productivity tools remain geared toward the formal sector.

The Highdigenous Engine enabled youth to rapidly organize a decentralized network of 16 tailors producing 10,000 masks/week.

Kabakoo learners were more likely than control group members to invest in productive assets such as training (51% vs. 32%) and machines (17% vs. 7%), and much less likely to make no professional investment at all (2% vs. 14%).

Supporting evidence

Around 300,000 young Malians enter the labor market each year while the formal sector creates about 15,000 jobs annually, according to the ILO.

Kabakoo created a Textile Lab described as a research, experimentation, and co-creation platform to understand how knowledge systems across West Africa's textile value chains can inspire new upskilling and generate real economic opportunities.

Kabakoo impact-data update — May 2025.

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