(REF KI23) Kilimanjaro Innovation Hub to Enable Africa to Achieve SDG’s on Time

The world is undergoing a fourth industrial revolution at an unprecedented rate. Africa must proactively embrace it to ensure the communities benefit, and the youth succeed in the new world. Africa is yet to realize its potential in the digital space and leverage technology to build a more prosperous society. Urgent, bold, and coordinated action is needed so we can make this transformation successful. Leveraging these digital opportunities demands a new mindset and leadership. Like many new and mostly unknown opportunities, there are risks to mitigate and lessons to be learnt to ensure our future is safe and inclusive. To realize this newly identified opportunity it demands learning, collaboration, and partnerships, both within and beyond Africa.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced economic growth and altered patterns of international economic interactions. While we are still in the midst of the crisis, there is real concern that the majority of macroeconomic effects will not be temporary, but will disproportionately shift long-term development pathways in low- and middle-income countries, offsetting some of the gains made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in recent decades.” UNDP – Analyzing long-term socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 across diverse African contexts 2021.
 
The need to design innovative programs targeting over 50% of the African population i.e. its youth is critical at this preceding moment. Kilimanjaro Innovation Hub (KIH) is established with a broad social entrepreneurial vision of capacity building of the youths, empowering with business, entrepreneurial and digital skills to remove insecurity and instil confidence. KIH envisioned a nation free from unemployment and ensured fruitful engagement in the economic development of the country by attaining innovation, entrepreneurship and digital literacy.
 
Objective

• Building the skills of youth in ICT that will enhance their digital and marketing skills to promote commerce
• Training in business development, financial management and entrepreneurship;
• Provide a platform for startups working on innovation to transform their pilot-scale initiatives into impactful ventures
• Training in supply chain management in order to become connected and value add across the spectrum
• Mobilize funds from national & international organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, private sector for seed money and grant-making
• Creating collaborative and consortium partnerships for promoting entrepreneurship
• Extend initial support or tie-ups for startups to scale up their innovations
• Link the startup entrepreneurs with investors and financial institution to enable them to raise the seed capital
• Create inter-generation link through mentorship and coaching
• Bridge the gap between education –internship-to employment

Studies are showing the long-term effect of the economic downturn caused by COVID 19 pandemic will lead to an erosion of the gains made towards the SDG’s. While still there are a lot of unknowns the need to create economic empowerment for the youth will ultimately help to sustain the gains and lead to greater development. Kilimanjaro Innovation Hub envisions to be a real source to achieve the SDG’s in Africa. The Session will examine how:

• Creating an innovation hub in Africa will contribute to economic growth and partnership and creativity across the continent;
• Investing in skill and empowerment of youth helps to sustain the gains made towards SDG’s;
• Expanding talents on ICT will enhance youth digital and marketing skills to promote commerce in general and e-commerce in particular;
• Indigenous knowledge can be aided through technology and innovation to create sustained solutions;
• International cooperation and partnership flourished through innovation;
• Investment in economic empowerment of youth speed up the economic recovery from COVID 19 pandemic;
• Kilimanjaro innovation hub envisions to be a real source to achieve SDG’s in Africa.

www.kilimanjarohub.com