Women and youth form the greatest percentage of the Kenyan population, which is also the greatest percentage of human capital in the country. But for a long time, they have been marginalized from economic participation, leaving out the greatest percentage of human capital from economic development. There are many reasons for this. Women did not own capital; hence they were blocked from accessing credit from banks. In many cultures, women could not access education as easily as men could, hence they could not engage in any professional career which could enable them to earn money and raise capital for business. Again, cultural attitudes that said that women’s place was in the kitchen – to give birth and rear children – worked against women venturing into business. However, this situation has been changing of late, with many women taking their place in the male-dominated world of entrepreneurship. Governments and development agencies have realized the potential of women in the economic development of nations. This change of mind-shift has been helped to a great extent by the research findings which have shown that women naturally have the attitudes and aptitudes that enable them to successfully run businesses – resilience, patience, integrity and hard work. Furthermore, research has also shown that support given to women entrepreneurs does not go to waste as they use their income to support entire families. They have been known to successfully run families with meagre or no incomes at all. Women are by nature caretakers and nurturers, qualities that are vital for any entrepreneurs. In a country like Kenya, for many years, women’s core occupation was in small scale agriculture, which forms the backbone of Kenya’s economy. Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya, last July, President Barrack Obama of the US pointed out that, “Women are powerhouse entrepreneurs. Research shows that when women entrepreneurs succeed, they drive economic growth and invest more back into their families and communities.” Therefore, all is not lost. The government has realized that in order to develop a stable and equitable society, all sectors of the society must be engaged. Through the country’s long-term blue print, Vision 2030, the aspiration of the government is to reduce gender disparities by making fundamental changes in availing opportunity and empowerment of the most vulnerable in society. Additionally, Kenya is fully committed to the 5th and 10th Sustainable Development Goals as outlined by the UN. These goals focus on Gender Equality and Reduced Inequalities by 2030. We are here to create and support Africa’s inventors Yet, the government alone cannot bring the desired changes without the support of non-state actors. Non-profits like StartUpAfrica, which is holding its inaugural Women Entrepreneurship Forum in Kenya on 28th January in Nairobi, are playing a crucial role in the helping women and youth achieve their full potential. StartUpAfrica supports entrepreneurs in the building of business skills and in endeavours that foster financial independence, create jobs, and grow African economies. StartupAfrica’s vision is for an Africa resplendent with big, bold business ideas. “We are here to create and support Africa’s inventors, entrepreneurs, and future business leaders,” says Erastus Mong’are, the organisation’s Executive Director. “Based on feedback from past workshops and events, we kick off the year with the StartUpAfrica Women Entrepreneurship Summit (SWES), running under the theme of ‘Launch, Grow and Succeed’,” he said. The event will take place at Kenyatta University Conference Centre. It will be opened by Prof. Olive Mugenda, the Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University. Through the Nairobi Forum, StartUpAfrica will provide entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs and other professionals in the entrepreneurship industry a place to learn from experts, discuss issues, exchange ideas, network, and pitch their business ideas for feedback. StartUpAfrica continues to support African youth and women in building of business skills and in endeavours that foster financial independence, create jobs, and grow African economies. “We continue being motivated by leaders who see why African youth matter,” says Erastus. StartUpAfrica has been working closely with the Kenya Vision 2030 Secretariat, with a goal of empowering young Kenyans and women in particular, as the country marches towards vision 2030. It also partners with Kenyatta University and Megdar Evers College, The City University of New York. As a way of supporting young people to maximize their potential, StartUpAfrica is also associated with the Diamond Challenge Africa (DCA). In March 2013, StartUpAfrica launched the Diamond Challenge Africa for high school entrepreneurs in Kenya when the country was preparing for elections. “Everybody we reached out to told us it wasn’t a good time to launch the initiative because there were fears of violence. But, we defied the odds as true entrepreneurs should, and we launched the programme with 10 schools,” Erastus says with satisfaction. StartUpAfrica Women Entrepreneurship Summit (2016) brings together brings together over 200 delegates, with approximately 60% being active entrepreneurs. The delegates will include women business owners, corporate representatives, government officials, trade practitioners, representatives from academia, finance, students in business and international trade, as well as the media. The keynote speakers will be and Sumayya Hassan-Athman, CEO, National Oil, Kenya, and Dr. Joann Rolle, Dean, School of Business, Medgar Evers College, The City University of New York.
top of page
bottom of page
コメント