An international team of youth entrepreneurs has taken to the road in a bus travelling from South Africa to Kenya, with a view to promoting entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment across the African continent.
The “Road to Nairobi 2016” bus trip – hosted by the Building Bridges Foundation – saw a bus-load of Dutch and South African youth begin an overland trip from Johannesburg to Nairobi this weekend, with the bus to arrive at its destination in November.
Along the route, participants will meet with over 80 youth entrepreneurs from all industries and walks of life across eight countries.
In each country, the entrepreneurs will present first-hand accounts of the challenges youth they face to government officials, corporate chief executive officers (CEOs), foreign ambassadors, representatives of the United Nations (UN), and the media.
In South Africa, the project is working with youth entrepreneurs in townships and rural areas, in particular.
The initiative aims to boost youth employment and aims to inspire African and global leaders by showcasing how young people make the difference for their generation, as well as supporting efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
“Young people often have the best, out of the box solutions for difficult problems. So if we want a better life for unemployed young Africans, who else to ask then young African entrepreneurs,” said Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen, co-chair of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC).
“They show that starting your own business empowers and creates jobs and income. The Road to Nairobi brings these smart youngsters together with politicians and business leaders who are eager for innovative and smart solutions. To reach the Sustainable Development Goals, young people are key.”
The project culminates with the Building Bridges team, and the most inspiring youth entrepreneurs, presenting their data and suggestions at the Second High-Level Meeting of the GPEDC in Nairobi.
