Please tell us about yourself?
I am Odhiambo K’otieno II, a 17 year old Kenyan Citizen.
A third year year high school student and a finalist to the African leadership academy in South Africa. I’m the Director of Strategic Relations for Peace For Africa and Economic Development, a global peace organization. I’m also the co-founder WICI Africa, a global pan-African youth initiative.
What is the name of the community outreach project you involved in? And what is it all about?
The CAP is called The Ongoza Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Forum. The forum is a dialogue platform on youth leadership instigation and entrepreneurship promotion.
We avail to youth a plethora of professionals from all over Africa to train them on leadership and entrepreneurship. The forum seeks to promote entrepreneurship by according to youth both informatin and opportunity. We partner with corporates as forum facilitators and entrepreneurship sponsors. We promote entrepreneurship as a gateway to youth empowerment.
When did it start? What motivated you to start this project?
The forum was founded in June 2012.
The main idea behind the forum was the complete absence of avenues of communication between entrepreneurs and professionals and entrepreneurs themselves. This had the effect of youths getting into business without knowing the basics of business management, administration and evaluation among others. The forum thus seeks to expose them to these business ideas. Also, youth interested in leadership had little knowledge of it. There was need to expose these youth to other global leaders and also provide an avenue of dialogue on the social problems around them.
What is the purpose this project?
The purpose of the forum is to expose youthful leaders and entrepreneurs to avenues of professional networking and informational support to instigate social and economic development in East and Central Africa.
What do you want to achieve with project?
The greatest achievement for the forum is to have informed and empowered youth leaders and entrepreneurs who form profitable businesses and social leadership in East and central Africa. In simpler terms; good leaders and profitable businesses.
How one can get involved in the project?
Involvement in the Ongoza Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship forum is by invitation. However interested individuals can also reach me for more information. Involvement can also be though partnering with other like-minded individuals and organizations. Further details can be sought in this regard.
What were some of the challenges you faced as a young person starting your own project?
The challenges in the starting of this project were immense: The forum is capital intensive so financial problems were a major challenge (Still is), the other problem the difficulty to reach the needed professionals and corporates, and when reached to ensure their involvement in the forum.
How has the journey being like so far?
The journey has been as challenging as it has been rewarding, meeting the next generation of social entrepreneurs and leaders is a great experience. We have also had the opportunity to expose corporate and social partners in developing the potentials of these youth. We have also partnered with regional and national organizations from all over Africa and the world.
How has the community benefited from the project?
The community has better social leadership as the youth make the leadership accountable for their decisions and actions, also the youth have better business performance from better information at the forum.the entrepreneurs also have professional and peer networks that help them harness the full potential of their leadership and business ideas.
What has been some of your biggest achievements yet?
Our greatest achievement was in August last year when we partnered with 7 National organizations to organize a two-week long entrepreneurship forum that also saw over 2000 youth in Kenya trained as peace ambassadors and business leaders. We have also sponsored 37 youth form East Africa in institutions of business study eg. Strathmore and USIU in Kenya.
What do you think are some of the challenges facing African youth today?
The challenges Facing African youth today are numerous; the greatest of which is lack of relevant information. Others include corruption, negative ethnicity and exclusion from Regional and National decision making frameworks. Also important to mention is youth absence from positions of national leadership.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
In a more youth-inclusive and developed society, mostly though, I still see myself fighting for the youth… It’s all I want to do.
What would you like to change about Africa today?
I would like to make our leaders stop ignoring our youth, I would like to help my fellow youth develop as leaders and entrepreneurs, I would like to see our exports larger than imports and savings than debt and spending. I would like to see a more empowered and inclusive continent.
What advice do you have for young people who want to start their own project?
GO! GO! GO! Let nothing stop you. And yes, there’s no easy way to help Africa, that should not stop you either, oh, and one more thing: Henry Ford had this for you “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” Stop at nothing if nothing will stop at you.
How can other youth connect with you?
. I can be reached at the following places:
+254 729 38 66 86
P.O.Box 969
Suna Migori
(40400)
Kenya E. Africa
