EP #39 (S02) Carmen Mateia: From a WhatsApp Group to Tackling Angola's 'Undermployment' Crisis

What’s the real challenge for Angola’s youth: unemployment or undermployment?Social entrepreneur Carmen Mateia shares her incredible journey from starting a simple WhatsApp group to building an ecosystem that’s connecting thousands of Angolans to real opportunities.Carmen is a dynamic social activist, community leader, and founder of “Na Fila do Pão” (At the bread’s queue). Her work in tackling youth challenges has led to a historic nomination as the first Angolan and first Portuguese-speaking representative for the EMY Africa Awards 2025 in the “Youth Change Maker” category.In this episode, we discuss:* The “Na Fila do Pão” Story: How a low-tech WhatsApp group grew into a powerful company for social change.* The Real Problem: Why “undermployment” is a more critical crisis than unemployment in Angola.* Building the Ecosystem: Carmen’s work with “Fábrica de Sabão” (Soap Factory) to create the physical infrastructure and hubs needed for startups to grow.* Art as Activism: Using cultural projects like the Mau Mau Movement to agitate for social and political change.SUPPORT CARMEN & CONNECT* VOTE for Carmen: Support her for the EMY Africa Award (Youth Change Maker of the Year)* Website: emyafrica.com/emy25-youth-change-maker* Instagram: [Instagram link]* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmenmateia/en* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bycarmenmateia/STAY CONNECTED WITH AFRICATECHTALKS.COM* Website: www.africatechtalks.com* Newsletter: * X (Twitter): /afri_techtalks* LinkedIn: /africa-tech-talks This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit africatechtalks.substack.com