Volunteering helps gain experience, improves employability, youth told

PMI managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa George Asamani at the AU conference in Addis Ababa in March / BRIAN OTIENO

After 18 months of volunteering at an NGO dealing with child health, Morris Oketo (not his real name) quit the organization. He claimed he had wasted one-and-a-half years of his life without financial compensation.

Oketo saw this as a failed stint, mismatching with his ambitions. However, George Asamani, the Project Management Institute managing director for sub-Saharan Africa, on Wednesday said Oketo got it all wrong.

Volunteering, he said, could be the solution to the growing unemployment crisis in Kenya and other parts of Africa, and youth should do it more often.

Asamani on Wednesday said with the disconnect between education and employability a persistent concern due to skills mismatch and lack of experience, volunteering is key.

Often framed as an act of goodwill rather than a pathway to professional growth, Asamani said volunteering is one of the most effective ways to build capability, credibility, and leadership.

“Traditional career paths, where progress depends on one’s level within an organisation, do not always provide the range of experience needed in a fast-changing economy.

“Volunteering, when approached with intention, can help close this gap. It puts people in situations where they are given real responsibility,” Asamani said in an online discourse on Wednesday morning.

This is evident across global professional communities, including PMI, where just under 18,000 volunteers contribute to initiatives that shape practice and build capability.

“In many ways, it mirrors the pressures of formal roles, without the delays that usually come with waiting for such opportunities. This is particularly relevant for early and mid-career professionals,” the expert said.

April, designated as Global Volunteer Month, provides a timely opportunity to reconsider a practice that remains widely misunderstood, particularly in emerging markets, he noted.

According to the African Development Bank, 10-12 million young Africans enter the job market each year, yet employers continue to cite gaps in experience, problem-solving skills, and leadership readiness.

Asamani said the issue is not a lack of talent, but a lack of exposure.

“In traditional settings, leadership is often something people have to wait for. It usually comes with senior roles, titles, and years of experience, rather than readiness or potential.

“In volunteer environments, however, people often step into leadership early. Managing projects, working with teams, engaging stakeholders, and dealing with challenges are part of the day-to-day experience,” Asamani said.

This creates faster growth, which is hard to achieve in more rigid organizational structures.

However, the absence of financial compensation is often cited as a deterrent.

Asmani said, in many contexts where financial pressure is real, this concern is understandable.

“But it also reflects a narrow view of value. The benefits of volunteering may not be immediate, but they are significant,” he said.

He noted that for the one-and-a-half years Oketo volunteered for the NGO, he probably built experience that sets him apart, created networks that will open doors, and showed his ability to lead and deliver.

“Over time, these advantages grow and compound,” the PMI boss said.

He noted that volunteering also helps build a different kind of professional network, one that is less transactional and more lasting.

These relationships, he said, are built on shared purpose, not immediate gain.

“In markets where professional systems are still developing, such networks can offer mentorship, support, and opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach,” he said.

As African economies become more connected to the global system, it is important not just to follow standards but to help shape them.

Many of these standards are developed through collaboration, often by professionals contributing their expertise rather than through formal roles.

Taking part in these processes allows individuals to go beyond their immediate organisations and engage in wider professional conversations, Asamani noted.

“It is worth noting that not all volunteering is created equal. The value lies not in the act itself, but in the quality of the experience.

“Roles that demand accountability, offer exposure to diverse perspectives, and involve measurable outcomes contribute most meaningfully to personal and professional growth. Approached in this way, volunteering becomes less about giving time and more about making deliberate investments in one’s development,” Asamani said.

He said in an environment where experience is often the most significant barrier to progression, volunteering offers a practical way to overcome it.

“It allows professionals to build a track record, test their capabilities, and expand their horizons in ways that formal roles may not immediately permit,” he noted.

He said if more professionals engage in meaningful volunteer work, the cumulative effect is a stronger, more capable workforce, one that is better equipped to navigate complexity and drive project success.

“The question is not whether volunteering is worthwhile. It is whether Africa can afford to overlook one of the most accessible ways to build the experience its workforce urgently needs,” he said.

INSTANT ANALYSIS:

Youth unemployment rates are soaring in Kenya, going up to 67 per cent compared to the 12.7 per cent national average. This is driven by skills mismatches, rapid population growth, and a shrinking job market. Over a million young people enter the workforce annually without adequate opportunities, leading to widespread underemployment and economic despair.