Africa youth entrepreneurship day dialogue
Africa youth entrepreneurship day dialogue
Delegates that formed part of the panel discussion
Qhawekazi Memani
The Young People in Business Initiative (YPIBI), one of the pioneering business student structures powered by the Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, held its first African Youth Entrepreneurship Day (AYED) press conference dialogue at the VUT IT Board Room on 2 June.
With its mission to mobilise youth to live an entrepreneurial life and to find expression and support, the AYED campaign seeks to create a culture of entrepreneurship across Africa to redress socio-political inequalities with regards the youth.
The first phase of the discussion focused on the following issues:
What are the important policies to be influenced to make student entrepreneurship more accessible in the University setting?
What awareness measure can be taken to kick start youth entrepreneurship cultures across the continent?; and
How do we create an inclusive measure that will ensure that everyone in the community supports youth entrepreneurship?
The panel speakers subsequently agreed that more research needs to look at understanding the student economy, the opportunities and how this can further benefit student life.
The panel included Uganda Diplomat, Miss Jeminaah Ninisiima from the Uganda Management Institute who spoke about how youth entrepreneurship is tackled in her country and what recommendations she would make for amicable discourse.
In closing, Mordecai Ndlovu, Campaign Director, added that a steering committee will be created comprising panel delegates, university heads, provincial and local government members as well as international and local community members.
The draft of the resolution document will also form part of the strategy moving forward that will outline important proposals set out on the press conference.
AYED will be celebrated every year on 3 June as per the resolutions of the Ghana Student Conference.
For more information you can go to www.ypibi.org.za or follow them on Twitter @ypibi.