There is an urgent need to support young entrepreneurs in Kenya and beyond for the continent to succeed. These were the words of the UBA Kenya Bank CEO Mary Mulili, speaking at a BeGreen Africa Entrepreneurial Workshop program in Nairobi.
She said Kenyan and African young entrepreneurs have great ideas and immense potential but often lack the much-needed financial support and training that has left many of them with no hope of ever succeeding. “We have no otherwise but to support these great minds,” she said.
The BeGreen Africa workshop was held in partnership with the State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, UNICEF, the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and UBA Kenya to empower young and innovative entrepreneurs in waste management to develop comprehensive business plans and innovative solutions for their businesses.
BeGreen Africa is a green entrepreneurship pilot program co-created by The Tony Elumelu Foundation, UNICEF Generation Unlimited (GenU), IKEA Foundation, and young green entrepreneurs.
The key objective of this program is to create a holistic, sustainable, and youth-led green entrepreneurship initiative in the waste sector in Kenya, and the green sector in Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa, to advance marginalized youth’s social and economic prosperity while addressing the triple planetary crisis by reducing inequalities and creating sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their peers.
“At the Tony Elumelu Foundation and UBA, we believe that empowering young entrepreneurs is key to driving sustainable development and economic growth. The BeGreen Africa initiative is a commitment to fostering innovative solutions in the waste management sector.
We are proud to support these young Entrepreneurs who are dedicated to creating a greener and more sustainable future for Kenya and Africa at large. This commitment aligns with our organizational strategy to promote innovative financial solutions and foster economic growth while protecting the environment,” Mary said.
Kenya was selected as the pilot country for the BeGreen Africa targeting to mentor and train 1,000 entrepreneurs from across Kenya. Out of these entrepreneurs, 120 will qualify to benefit from the USD 5,000 seed funding to kickstart their green business ventures.
There is no doubt that climate change is a reality, and it is the major driving force behind the Green Industrial Revolution. New and innovative technologies are needed to create ‘green jobs’ that can tackle climate change, and usher in prosperity for the combined benefit of people and planet. If young people are to lead the Green Industrial Revolution, they must be supported to grow the economy while protecting natural resources.
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