Ukiyo, a South African educational technology company founded in 2017 after operating informally since 2014, has launched a mobile platform called the Global Student Support Platform, or GSSP. The app is free to use and combines entry-level job and internship listings with student housing options, bursary information, mentorship and mental health support in a single marketplace.
The launch comes as youth unemployment in South Africa remains high. In the first quarter of 2026, the unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 reached 60.90 percent, with roughly 3.9 million young people in that age bracket classified as not in employment, education or training.
Nozuko Mzamo, founder of Ukiyo, said the idea for the platform developed after she observed that career opportunities discussed among corporate employers often did not reach the students who needed them, particularly those living outside major urban centers. GSSP was built to address that gap in access to information.
Rather than treating job hunting as a single event, the platform is designed to support a student's progression from funding their studies and securing housing to building skills, finding mentorship and moving into employment.
During its private beta phase, GSSP attracted more than 4,200 users. The platform recorded more than 1,300 click-throughs to scholarship and bursary opportunities and more than 2,100 click-throughs to employment listings.
Students currently search the platform using manual filters, though Ukiyo plans to add automated matching in future versions that would pair students with opportunities based on their field of study and skill set. The company populates the platform through partnerships that include North-West University as a higher education partner, Thrive Accommodation as a student housing provider, and commercial brands such as Emeris and The LINK by Airlink.
GSSP operates in a space that includes LinkedIn, Pnet and Jobox. Mzamo said most existing platforms address only one part of the student journey, most often the job search itself, while Ukiyo's platform is designed to remain free for students and cover the full path from academic funding and mental health support through to a first paycheck.
Ukiyo's current focus is on South African youth, but the company has begun adding global exchange programs to the app and is conducting market research to expand into other African and international markets.
