GES was a big boost for the Kenyan youth

The sixth Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) co-hosted by Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his US counterpart Barack Obama in Nairobi had a great impact on the youth.

While addressing the GES forum at the UN headquarters in Gigiri, the US President reiterated that entrepreneurship was a sure path to prosperity.

For several decades, Kenya has been battling with poverty caused by unemployment and weak institutional structures whose effect is felt more greatly by no other than the country’s youth.

African countries have a youthful population that is growing faster than the private job market can absorb and neither can the public provide and secure jobs for all, leaving them with only one answer – people who can come up with commercial undertakings to create wealth and jobs. Yes, entrepreneurship equals creation of jobs.

The Kenyan government having taken note of this, it is now at the frontline in the campaign championing for the recognition of entrepreneurship as a pillar for job creation and growing the economy, making it a key driver for future growth and continued investment in the country.

The National Treasury allocated Sh850 million in the 2015-2016 Budget for the Uwezo Youth and Women Fund, just few weeks before the country was honoured to host the summit, making it the first Sub-Saharan country to do so.

President Kenyatta says now the youth have enough motivation and inspiration to come up with long-term, implementable and sustainable ideas that offer solutions to problems around their communities.

To the young people of this country, GES was a welcome boon for us to take Kenya to the next level in line with Vision 2030’s aim of creating a globally competitive and prosperous nation.