2024 Africa Street MBA Launched
In a dynamic showcase of commitment to youth empowerment and entrepreneurial development, the Africa Street MBA (AfSMBA) initiative began its 2024 activities with a media launch on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at Tomreik Hotel in Accra Ghana. DONE BY US in collaboration with the KGL Foundation aims to execute this initiative to help bridge the business knowledge gap among economically disadvantaged young entrepreneurs.
With majority of young people struggling to find jobs and lacking business management know-how, Africa Street MBA steps in to help tackle these major problems. The team from DONE BY US will be carrying out this initiative by offering training, coaching, mentoring, and conducting an accelerator program for young entrepreneurs with innovative ideas or early-stage ventures.
The Founder of DONE BY US and the Executive Director of Africa Street MBA, King A. Wellington during the media launch gave a recap of the achievements of the project in 2023 which included reaching over 5,000 people virtually and training 650 young Ghanaians in-person, including people living with disabilities. During his remarks, he unveiled plans for the 2024 edition; he announced the expansion of the program to six (6) regions, with a goal of empowering 10,000 young Ghanaians. He also highlighted some programs Ghanaians can expect in 2024. They include; in-depth in-person training sessions for 1,000 young people in targeted regions, virtual learning for additional 9,000 aspiring entrepreneurs, the accelerator program which will provide coaching, mentorship and capacity building for 30 exceptional young entrepreneurs among others.
With the zeal to empower the youth, this year’s Africa Street MBA will also introduce ‘Building Employability Skills of Youth in Ghana – BESYG’ as part of the activities. This is also to empower the youth preferably women and persons living with disabilities with the tools, knowledge and skills to drastically improve their employability skills making them competitive for the global job market.
Programs Manager for KGL Foundation, Mr. Samuel Nii Annorbah- Sapei stated that every young person deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential, therefore, investing in their empowerment and education is not just a moral imperative, but a strategic one for sustainable development and social progress. He stated that through the various programs and initiatives, KGL Foundation strives to foster a culture of lifelong learning, innovation and entrepreneurship among young people and are dedicated to empowering young people to take charge of their futures and become active participants in the socio-economic development of their societies.
According to Issah Mahami, the Director for Policy Planning, Budget, and Evaluation at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry’s policy assigns significant responsibilities to stakeholders, especially youth, to utilize opportunities. It recognizes youth as crucial for nation-building and pledges investment in issues pertaining to them. He pointed out some challenges affecting youth development in Ghana which included economic exclusion, cultural barriers, education-industry gaps, and limited access to services. He further indicated that the government, aims to collaborate with stakeholders through the Ministry of Youth and Sports to foster sustainable youth development.
During the speech of the Director of Programme and Partnership at British Council, Richard Kwasi Shiangbor, he highlighted the British Council’s involvement in projects which foster innovation and entrepreneurship including the innovation for African Universities project and the creation of the Higher Education Institution Hubs Network in Ghana. According to him, Africa’s youth population is expected to double by 2050, therefore, addressing the issue of unemployment and promoting entrepreneurship is crucial. He believes that investing in skills development and tying academia to industry needs can help create a diverse and self-sufficient economy.
On their part, the German Embassy represented by Ms. Lisa Schmidt, Officer for Press, Culture and Economic Affairs, noted that the German government is making a great effort in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in Ghana through various programs such as Investment in Young Future Leaders: AFRIKA KOMMT 2024-2026 FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM; Support of Young Future Entrepreneurs: Falling Walls Lab; and Academic Scholarships through the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD.
The Africa Street MBA initiative stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity for the aspiring entrepreneurs of Ghana. Through strategic partnerships and dedicated efforts, Africa Street MBA is not only addressing the pressing challenges of youth unemployment and lack of business knowledge but also fostering inclusivity by empowering marginalized groups.
