Hundreds of youths from across Africa and beyond gathered in Kigali for the seventh Youth Connekt Africa Summit on Friday, November 8, urged their peers to see the event as a vital source of information and a platform for learning and growth.
The three-day summit, themed "Jobs for youth through innovative skilling," brought together youth, leaders, role models, and resources to enhance youth employability.
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Hamza Sisse from Ghana said: "In Africa, we lack data. You are not well-informed to make certain decisions. Youth Connect is one of the biggest and best movements in Africa and the world to participate in, get educated, develop your skills, and understand some of the opportunities out there.”
"The theme, &039;Jobs through Innovation Skills,' highlights the need for innovation. Even those who are innovative often lack support, so this is a great platform to showcase their skills.”
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Sharon AC Greene from Liberia pointed out that: "It helps us to rebrand ourselves, connect with other youth out there. Personally, I expect to build a good network from this summit.”
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Peace Bakare from Nigeria said: "It’s a fantastic program, bringing together young people passionate about change and innovation for a relevant future. I believe it will give me the drive I need, more statistics and information, and I hope to interact with many young people here.”
Umwari Ngiruwonsanga from Rwanda noted that: "I expect to gain new insights, especially by learning from others representing their projects, and I look forward to getting ideas on how to develop them.”
Her compatriot, Divine Umuhoza, added; "As a young person with big dreams, I’m thrilled to be attending the summit in person after years of joining online. This event is a unique opportunity to learn directly from successful leaders and gain insights on how to bring my ideas to life. Innovation is essential for business, and here, you can learn how to introduce it effectively into your work.”
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Founded in Rwanda, in 2012, by the government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Youth Connekt has created 8,309 jobs for youth in Rwanda, awarded over 260 pitch winners, and trained more than 772 youth to improve their skills and projects.
Since its inception, the programme has expanded to 33 African countries, with additional nations seeking to join, including Lesotho as the most recent member.
The initiative not only identifies and supports outstanding youth achievements but also offers the Youth Connekt Awards, where the top 50 participants receive recognition, and the top four finalists in each category win grand prizes.