UBS Optimus Foundation, alongside co-funders, has committed approximately $29 million to Chancen International’s Future of Work Fund, a blended finance initiative designed to expand access to higher education and skills training for young people in Africa. The funding will support the scaling of an Income Share Agreement (ISA) model across Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa, helping students access education without traditional upfront tuition payments.
The Future of Work Fund aims to support more than 15,000 students by financing tuition costs upfront and enabling repayments only after graduates secure employment and reach a defined income threshold. This structure shifts financial risk away from students and aligns repayment with actual earnings, making higher education more accessible for low-income households.
The investment builds on a growing blended finance ecosystem that combines philanthropic capital and private investment to scale impact. UBS Optimus Foundation has previously acted as an anchor investor in the fund and continues to support its expansion as part of a broader strategy focused on education, employment, and economic inclusion.
The program also reflects a wider effort to address Africa’s education and employment gap, where millions of young people enter the labor market annually but face limited access to affordable higher education and formal job opportunities. By linking financing directly to future income, the model aims to improve both educational access and long-term employability outcomes.
Overall, the $29 million commitment highlights growing global interest in outcome-based education financing models that combine financial innovation with social impact, particularly in regions with rapidly expanding youth populations and constrained access to traditional student lending system.
