Reslocate: Bridging Africa’s Education-to-Employment Divide
- Mandilakhe Somdle
- Aug 18
- 2 min read
In Africa, the path from education to employment is rarely straightforward. For many young people, especially in underserved communities, reliable information about universities, scholarships, internships, and jobs is fragmented or simply out of reach. The result? Missed opportunities, mismatched careers, and untapped talent.
This is the gap Reslocate, co-founded by Lucas Mohaswa and Olefile Matlala, is determined to close.
From lived experience to digital empowerment
Lucas’ inspiration came after countless conversations with young learners in rural and township areas who felt “stuck”, uncertain of what opportunities awaited them after school. For many, internet access was scarce, career guidance nonexistent, and the future filled with uncertainty.
That was the defining moment. Reslocate was born as an AI-powered platform that centralises education and career resources, giving students clarity, direction, and confidence in their futures.
Building resilience in uncertain times
Launched in the wake of the pandemic, Reslocate emerged during a period when traditional career support systems were inaccessible. What could have been a barrier became an opportunity: the team designed a fully digital, scalable, and adaptable platform that met students where they were.
Bootstrapped with $20,000 in founder contributions, the startup has grown organically — achieving 50,000 users across eight African countries before securing any external funding. This traction is proof of both demand and impact.
Tackling Africa’s systemic challenges
Reslocate isn’t just about access to information; it’s about reshaping Africa’s youth employment landscape. By connecting learners to scholarships, internships, and jobs, the platform addresses some of the continent’s biggest challenges:
Youth unemployment – equipping students with tools for employability and economic participation.
Digital inequality – building solutions that can scale even in areas with infrastructure gaps.
Talent underutilisation – ensuring African youth can compete and thrive globally.
As Lucas puts it, the focus has always been clear: “Build for impact first, and the money will follow.”
Looking ahead: Scaling across Africa and beyond
Reslocate’s vision is ambitious yet grounded: to become the number one education-to-employment platform in Africa, empowering 20 million learners across 25+ countries within five years. To achieve this, the team is raising $2 million in seed funding to scale their AI-driven tools, expand into new markets, and deepen partnerships with schools, NGOs, and employers.
For AfricArena, spotlighting Reslocate is part of our mission to highlight how African startups are not only solving pressing local challenges but also shaping the continent’s knowledge economy.
As the world looks to Africa’s future, solutions like Reslocate remind us that unlocking youth potential is the surest way to unlock Africa’s prosperity. Discover more from Reslocate at reslocate.net
Explore African startup stories at africarena.com
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