On 21st October, Elimu hosted the Youth Innovation Forum, Kilifi County; an innovators’ forum organized by the Strategic Initiatives Office; Cabinet Affairs: Executive Office of the Presidency. We had over fifty youth attending the forum and sharing innovative ideas.
Mr. Mukhtar Ogle, who has served as the Secretary of Strategic Initiatives program since 2015, has been at the forefront of finding innovative solutions to the achievement of the Sustained Socio-Economic Transformation for Job Creation and Shared Prosperity agenda. His dedication to the youth is outstanding. He continues to lobby for forums where the youth can grow and learn across the country.
During this eye-opening forum, the youth gathered at Elimu Resource Centre were challenged and guided through embracing Innovation as a way to make a living and create impact in the society. Key topics of interest were agritech, agribusiness, recycling, hospitality, entrepreneurship and IT.
Young people across key sectors shared their experiences and approaches they have taken to fight poverty and create income generating solutions, using the resources available to them.
Community Based Organizations working with various groups in Malindi, shared with the audience how they are using seemingly simple resources to create wealth. Waste products like coconut husks, animal dung, and coco peats, are valuable in producing high quality end-products such as natural pesticides and briquettes. Plastic waste can also be used to grow food produce.
“The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.”
In appreciation of Elimu’s effort in imparting IT skills to high school graduates through the CISCO Academy, the sub-county office offered bursary opportunities for needy youth interested in pursuing IT courses from the Academy.
In the end, the youth were able to network and form groups, each with a mentor experienced in the field who will guide them. These groups are also platforms for the young people to share ideas and brainstorm on solutions to challenges in their areas of interest.
This Youth Innovation Forum was the first of its kind and a pace setter for Kilifi County in building a community that is socio-economically empowered.
We are honoured by all the guests who contributed to the success of this day. Special thanks to Mr. Mukhtar Ogle and his team, Strategic Initiatives Office, Miss ZamZam, Youth Rep Malindi Subcounty, Eric Nyamwaro, Martin Oloo, and Si Siti Organization, for the huge investment in our young people.
This group of curious young people will form a movement of empowered youth; youth ready to defy poverty and joblessness by harnessing the opportunities available to them. They are taking on the innovation space with relentless strides; a big win for the Malindi community.