AfDB youth empowerment effort addresses Africa’s fragile industrialisation

By Africa Development Bank

AfDB sponsored 30 young african entrepreneurs and 25 young researchers  to attend the 6th Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD VI) Africa Youth Entrepreneurship Workshop which lasted 4 days and culminated with an address by the Cabinet Minister of Youth Mrs Cecily and President of the World Bank Dr Adessina. Violet Mbiti the founder of Youth County Projects Kenya and Vijana Network International Limited was among the entrepreneurs selected to be part of the workshop.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Akinwumi Adesina, has addressed the challenge of creating jobs for youth in Africa, while outlining a number of initiatives the Bank is undertaking to stop the unemployment crisis from complicating Africa’s current security challenges.

“The future of the African youth lies in a prosperous Africa, not at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. Africa hosts the world’s youngest population,” President Adesina told an Africa Youth Entrepreneurship Forum at the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in Nairobi, Kenya, on Sunday, August 28, 2016.

The Forum, under the theme, “Catalysing the Next Generation of Africa’s Youth Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Industrialisation,” focused on the steps required to turn the agriculture sector into a centre of economic growth and industrialisation.

Addressing the Forum, President Adesina pointed out a number of approaches the Bank has undertaken recently to create jobs and end the potentially dangerous consequences of youth unemployment, including the uncontrolled migration, radicalisation of the youth, and the loss of Africa’s growth esteem. These include the Jobs for Youth in Africa (JfYA) Strategy, designed to create 25 million jobs and positively impact 50 million youth over the next decade. The Bank has also embarked on the ENABLE (Empowering Novel Agri-Business Led Employment) Youth initiative, which aims at promoting youth entrepreneurship in agriculture and agri-business.
Click on this link below to read more:
http://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/article/afdb-youth-empowerment-effort-addresses-africas-fragile-industrialisation-16054/#.V8btZOqQH1E.facebook

Would you like to be a Mentor?Then join the Maragwa Mentorship Program in Muranga County

The Maragwa mentorship program is a platform that aims to mentor students in both primary and secondary schools to make the best out of their lives.This program is an initiative of Sam Wairimu which seeks to register volunteers who will join them in this noble cause.  Previously through his mentorship program they have been able to visit primary schools in Maragua where they donated Oxford Geometrical sets to pupils awaiting to sit for their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).

The other project that Sam Wairumu runs is the Education for Sustainable development where school kids are encouraged to engage in Agriculture.His team donated certified seeds for the project.Due to Sam Wairimu’s initiative the performance of candidates in KCPE improved from a mean score of 187 to 212 marks in Maragua.

Sam Wairimu believes that by youth volunteering to share their stories and experiences, they can shape these children into great men and women who will make a positive difference in the world.

Join Sam in this noble cause by  emailing him on : samwairimu@gmail.com
Click on the link below to join:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSco_-H35ogonkd-4RQcwYr19hMjMAdAJVBVB-kgd3oPkg10bg/viewform?c=0&w=1

Request for application for youth senatorial positions courtesy of Youth Senate

Great News! Youth Senate-Kenya has decided to extend applications for
position of Youth Senator in  the following counties until 9th September
2016:

Kiambu County,
Bungoma County
Kilifi County
Kisii County
Transnzoia County
Nakuru County
Wajir County
Kwale County
Turkana County
West Pokot County
Makueni County
Mandera County
Embu County
Mombasa County

To qualify you must be a:
– Youth between 18-35 years;
– Able to spearhead and coordinate county-level initiatives around
youth entrepreneurship, education, effective leadership, peace
building as well as accountable governance;
– Been involved in youth advocacy before and would like to work with
like-minded youths to create inclusive societies for the children and
youths.

PS: Women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Please use the link below for further details on applying for the
Youth Senator position

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmOjyV961dloSsG13bF9RzQKEZawtc8we3WlRkWsAVCwTcMQ/viewform#responses

If you happen to know anyone qualified for this position,kindly share
the  link with those members in your network.

Kindly take note the deadline for application is 9th September 2016 as
stated in the link above

Invitation to Participate in the 6th Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development taking place in Nairobi County

Tentative List of JICA Side Events at TICAD VI

The deadlines for online applications are 23-Aug at 24:00 in Japan Time.

They will provide the following services for persons with disabilities to have access to information. Be advised to describe the necessary service in “remarks” of the registration form of the event.
–   Provision of the presentation materials by e-mail in advance (Materials are subject to change until the day of the event)
–   Provision of the presentation materials in a larger font
–   Sign-language interpretation（ASL） For facilitating better arrangement, requests for such service are recommended to be made no later than August 17.
Here is a tentative list of JICA side events.

Click  on the link below to find out more:
http://www.jica.go.jp/africahiroba/language/seminar/

Invitation to attend the Young Entrepreneur Expo that will take place in Nairobi County

Young Entrepreneurs Expo invites you to a two day entrepreneurial forum to network,engage and learn from business leaders and over 2000 young Entrepreneurs.

Date :24th and 25th of September 2016

Venue:Safari Park Hotel

Go to www.youngentrepreneursexpo.co.ke to apply to attend or exhibit.
Transforming Young Entrepreneurs to global business leaders.

 

Invitation to join Kenya Youth Education Consortium

Tuwakuze Africa held a youth consultation and sensitization forum on curriculum reforms in Kenya held on 18th June, 2016 at 680 Hotel. The forum was attended by youth leaders from various youth led organizations as well as a representative from Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and a member of the National Committee on Curriculum Reforms.

Following this forum, a need for youth organizations to work together and engage collectively on issues around education so as to be formally involved in processes such as the curriculum reforms as stakeholders was identified. Furthermore, by working with other youth led organizations we add value to each other’s work, provide platform to highlight our diverse views and better represent interest of Kenyan youth.

As a follow up to implement recommendations on ways to formally involve youth in curriculum reforms process in Kenya and engage KICD on various other issues, Tuwakuze Africa is calling for other youth led organizations to be part of a consortium; the Kenya Youth Education Consortium (KYEC) .

The consortium will also be a platform for youth led organizations to collaborate on various other projects and conduct joint advocacy on crucial issues raised by the consortium members. The platform is open to Community Based Organizations, Faith Based Organizations and Societies etc.

Target Group

The consortium targets:
•       Youth led organizations from the 47 counties in Kenya that work on education issues and related matters i.e. peace education, entrepreneurship, leaderships, vocational training, mentorship/ life skills training, digital literacy, special needs education or advocacy around these issues.
•       The organization should be based in / have networks in the county/ counties they serve.

First Meeting

The identified youth led organizations that express interest in joining the consortium will be held on 29th August, 2016. Venue and other details will be communicated to organizations whose registration is approved.

How to register to join Kenya Youth Education Consortium (KYEC)

To register a youth led organization to join KYEC, fill in this form https://goo.gl/forms/zic3SRdSvsfPD9nd2
Deadline: Thursday 25th August, 2016

Contact:
Amina Ahmed
Tuwakuze Africa
Partnerships Coordinator
Tel: 0724819462

Invitation to participate in a work readiness workshop organized by Kenya Youth Employment and Skills Program

Kenya Youth Employment and Skills program is hosting a Work Readiness workshop on 24th and 25th August 2016 for youth aged 18-35 yrs, dropped out of school before completing KCSE and who have done any course but are currently not doing anything. In the workshops they will be advised and guided by different mentors. The sessions will take place at a venue to be communicated from 8am-5pm. Lunch will be provided. Any youth who fits the description given, resides in Nrb and is interested and did not attend the last workshop that was held at YWCA should SMS their full name and tel. Number to Margaret on 0722118371strictly between 10am and 4pm on Mon 15th and Tues 16th Aug 2016. They will be called back and advised how to register. Do not make any payments to the workshop as it is free. Share the information with your networks.

Message of the UN Secretary-General on International Youth Day 2016

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

MESSAGE ON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY
12 August 2016

The world’s young people – who make up the largest generation of youth in history – can lead a global drive to break the patterns of the past and set the world on course to a more sustainable future. Young people are directly affected by the tragic contradictions that prevail today: between abject poverty and ostentatious wealth, gnawing hunger and shameful food waste, rich natural resources and polluting industries. Youth can deliver solutions on these issues, which lie at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In this first year of that 15-year plan for a healthier, safer and more just future, we count on the active engagement of the world’s young people to transform the production and consumption of goods and services so they meet the basic needs and aspirations of the world’s poorest people without overburdening already strained ecosystems.

Young people are traditionally at the cutting edge, and today’s youth have more information than any previous generation. Their dynamism, creativity and idealism can combine to shape attitudes toward demand and help create more sustainable industries.

Youth are already influencing how the world produces, distributes and consumes while driving green entrepreneurship by designing sustainable products and services. As conscious consumers, young people are at the forefront of a shift toward more fair, equitable and sustainable buying patterns. Youth are strong and effective advocates of recycling, reusing and limiting waste, and they are leading technological innovations to foster a resource-efficient economy.

When we invest in youth, they can contribute to new markets, decent jobs, fair trade, sustainable housing, sustainable transport and tourism, and more opportunities that benefit the planet and people.

I am proud that the United Nations is actively engaged in supporting young leaders who can carry out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 12 on sustainable consumption and production patterns. I encourage all young people to become involved in advancing the SDGs and demanding action by their Governments. My Youth Envoy is eager to connect you to our campaigns, which are being carried out across the entire United Nations system.

On International Youth Day, I urge others to join this global push for progress. Let us empower young people with the resources, backing and space they need to create lasting change in our world.

Chat on Twitter with UN Youth Envoy Ahmad Alhendawi,Raphael Obonyo and Collins Kipkoech as we celebrate International Youth Day.Topic:Youth Leading Sustainability.

Interact with UN Youth Envoy Ahmad Alhendawi on Facebook Live as we celebrate International Youth Day

Celebrating International Youth Day 2016 by UN Women:Investing in Young Women’s Leadership is key to SDGs.Plan to attend

Win a fully funded scholarship to study in China

Courtesy of Strive Masiyiwa

Great news! For the second year now, I’m excited to tell you about a scholarship program for young people to get a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from one of China’s top universities. If you’re selected, this could really be the chance of a lifetime!

Not only will you expand your learning, but you’ll also share the experience of studying for a year in China with other young leaders from around the world.

If you follow world news – as you should – you’ll know how important this opportunity is for you to take part in and shape trends of the 21st century. If you’re looking to be counted as a global leader, this is one excellent opportunity to prepare yourself!

Last year I joined a group of international donors that support the Schwarzman Scholars program, which each year will select up to 200 talented young people to spend one year living, working and studying together at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. This $450m scholarship program was started last year by Stephen Schwarzman, the founder of Blackstone, one of the biggest financial organizations in the world.

Courses will be taught in English and students will study under the tutorship of some of China’s leading academics, top academics from other parts of the world, along with business and political leaders, all in a Chinese environment.
The Schwarzman Scholars curriculum was developed in collaboration with academic leaders from Tsinghua, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Oxford, Duke – all these are top universities in the world.

Last year, 111 young people from around the world were the very first group to be offered Schwarzman Scholarships. The inaugural class included successful applicants from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe!

# The submission deadline is coming up soon, on 15 September, but there’s still plenty of time for you to apply if you’re eligible and interested in getting a Master’s degree in Global Affairs.

# This scholarship is fully funded and includes tuition, room and board, international airfare, an in-country study tour, books and supplies, a laptop and smart phone, health insurance and a modest personal stipend.
# To apply, you must have an undergraduate degree (can be in any field) and be between the ages of 18 and not yet reached 29 years of age by August 2017.
If you meet the rigorous requirements and are selected, it could be YOU heading to China to study for a year! It’s not enough for you to have excellent grades, though. You need to clearly show your commitment to leading on the global stage. If you don’t have perfect marks, your outstanding contributions in other areas could be the reason you win the scholarship:
# Do you have demonstrated experience in leadership roles on campus, in your communities, your workplace or in other organizations?

# Do you have a demonstrated interest in expanding your educational horizons?
# Can you articulate a clear vision of how and why a year as a Schwarzman Scholar in China will help advance your personal goals (and beyond)?
If this is not for you, perhaps you know of other brilliant young people with leadership experience and potential who you think should apply?

Please share this information with them as soon as possible, as the application deadline is 15 September.

I really hope the African continent will be well represented in the next class of Schwarzman Scholars. If I was the age of many of you reading this post, I would apply for this opportunity right away!

For more details, go to http://schwarzmanscholars.org/…/schwarzman-scholars-accept…/

Invitation to participate at 2016 International Youth Day organized by Capital Markets Authority,World Vision,Kenya Redcross and UN Habitat

The International Youth Day will be held at the One Stop Youth Centre  from 11th to 12th August 2016 and will include performances, a 2 day exhibition and youth tailored forums on entrepreneurship and investment among other things.

The IYD events will take place at One Stop Youth Centre, in Nairobi, Town,off Racecourse Road next to Kenya Red Cross Nairobi Branch.

You are required to register if you want to exhibit or attend the CMA session, for the rest of the activities you can attend without any prior registration.
To register for the capital markets session click on the form below
https://goo.gl/forms/N5uUjq3Ekp8Mzr5p2

For this year’s International Youth Day, Capital Markets Authority (CMA) will be conducting a sensitization forum on Investing in the Capital Markets – You’ll get to learn how to invest in shares. The forum is part of a 2 day International Youth Day co-organized by Kenya Red Cross, One Stop Youth Centre, UN Habitat, World Vision, Tuwakuze Africa among others.

An exhibition by youth showcasing their creative work and organizations will also run for the 2 days. For more information on how to register as an exhibitor , call Maasai on 0720394240.

For any queries Call Maasai on 0720394240.

Invitation to participate at the WiFEL Conference that targets women in Finance,Entrepreneurship and leadership organized by KCA University and UN Women

The WiFEL conference  hopes to inspire and motivate women to take leadership in business, boards of companies and to promote as many women led businesses as possible, to the capital markets and global markets.

WiFEL 2016 shall be taking place on the 16th and 17th August 2016 at the Hotel Intercontinental. The conference is proudly hosted by KCA University and UN Women who have committed to support this initiative to see as many as 10,000 women benefit in the program.Please find below the conference booklet and registration form for your action. The registration costs are 300 USD and not 500 as indicated in the booklet.
WIFEL Booklet 2(4)
Registration Form

For any enquiries contact:
Joshua Nyangidi
Manager Centre for Entrepreneurship and Leadership
KCA University
Office: +254 20 8070408/9 | Fax: +254 20 8561077
Mobile : +25420721225494.
www.kca.ac.ke | Advancing Knowledge, Driving Change

Invitation to participate in a panel discussion titled” The Role of Government in Igniting Innovation” hosted at the US Embassy

The United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya will be sponsoring a panel discussion in support of Nairobi Innovation week on the topic of The Role of Government in Igniting Innovation.  Governments are a powerful ally for innovators, and it is important to understand how innovators and governments can work together to maximize results.

Come and hear from beneficiaries of U.S. Government innovation programs, program implementers, and U.S. Government Representatives to learn more about how governments can help ignite innovation!

TIME & VENUE

Join us on Thursday August 4^th from 2:00pm to 4:00pm in the American Resource Center (ARC) located within the U.S. Embassy.

Arrive by 1:30pm in order to arrive to the ARC by 2:00pm.
To register click on the link below:
http://innovationweek.co.ke/the-role-of-government-in-igniting-innovation/

Global ICT Capacity Building Symposium

6 to 8 September 2016

Pre-events on 5 September

Nairobi, Kenya

What is CBS?

The ITU Global ICT Capacity Building Symposium (CBS) is the main global event for capacity development in the field of information and communication technology (ICT). The Symposium brings together stakeholders from across the world to discuss trends and developments in the sector and their implications for human and institutional capacity building. CBS initially focused only on matters related to human resources and thus was targeted mainly to human resources practitioners. It has since broadened its scope to embrace human and institutional capacity building, drawing on a global network of expertise from different regions and stakeholders.

CBS-2016

CBS-2016 will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from 6 to 8 September 2016. The Symposium is being organised by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and hosted by the Communications Authority of Kenya, under the theme “Embracing Capacity Building Opportunities in the Digital Era”.

Global leaders have adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals are to be achieved at a time of major digital technology transformation that will impact the way people live and societies operate. Emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) are increasingly becoming a reality. The advent of smart cities and smart societies, as well as the growth of big data, require different sets of knowledge and skills across all sections of society.

Governments, industry, universities and other higher education institutions  need to invest in, and develop a range of ICT skills at various levels of immersion, which will not only enable increased participation in the economy, but will ensure the creation of digital citizens for a digital society.

Exhibition and Pre-events

An exhibition showcasing capacity building projects across the world and best practices from academia and industry will run for the duration of the Symposium. Member states, sector members, Universities and Centres of Excellence are invited to take advantage of allocated free space to showcase their work. 

Two pre-events will be held on 5 September 2016. The first pre-event is dedicated to “Capacity Building in Internet Governance” and the second pre-event is dedicated to “Regulators as Enablers and Consumers of Capacity Building”.

Participants

CBS attracts participants from countries worldwide, as well as from regional and international organisations. Panellists and speakers include high-level officials such as Ministers, Director-Generals of Regulatory Authorities, heads of UN Organisations, CEOs of private sector companies, representatives from Universities and research institutions and other experts in ICT capacity building. Several thought leaders from the academic community are expected to make presentations at the Symposium.
To apply click on the link below
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Capacity-Building/Pages/CBS-2016.aspx

The 3rd Young ICT Leaders’ Forum & Busan Global Smart Cities Challenge

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with the Busan Metropolitan City and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), the Republic of Korea, are organizing the “Young ICT Leaders’ Forum 2016 (YILF-2016)” which will be held during 7-9 September 2016 in Busan City, the Republic of Korea. The Forum is hosted by the Busan Metropolitan City at Exhibition Hall 1, BEXCO, Republic of Korea.

The YILF 2016 aims to promote an active participation of youth in the digital economy, including (1) promoting the engagement of youth in the field of ICTs; (2) decreasing the digital divide; and (3) promoting research on emerging ICTs particularly Internet of Things (IoT).

This Forum is composed of the following parts:
2-day Conference and Busan Global Smart Cities Challenge (the 7th & 8th of Sept);
Welcome and Networking reception (Evening of the 7th & 8th);
Exploring the city of Busan (the 9th Sept.)

The Forum focuses on connecting, sharing and empowering the YOUTH in the ICT Sector in order to enhance their capacity on creating the start-up business of their own and to be a competitive positioning in their professional work field. Hence, the ultimate goal of YILF is to offer a platform where the young ICT leaders can exchange their knowledge and building up the innovative concepts into reality by working closely together as a team, which in turns, the benefits to the IoT industry locally and internationally.

In addition, Busan Global Smart Cities Challenge, which is under auspices of the 2nd Young ICT Leaders’ Forum 2016, will be jointly organized by Busan Metropolitan City and ITU this year. Global Smart Cities Challenge is a competition opened for young people to present their young innovative ideas on harnessing the power of digital technologies in making a city smarter, safer, and friendlier to environment thereby improving quality of life of the citizens.
To apply click on the link below:
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/AsiaPacific/Pages/Events/2016/Sep-YILF2016/home.aspx

Applications for MATI 2016 now open

Apply for MATI 2016 here

Deadline: 1oth August  2016

Learn more about the MATI initiative and previous years’ courses here