Don't run after experts for business ideas

BUSINESS

African youth have been urged to generate solutions to challenges among themselves for business startups.

"We need to wake the young people up," said Baba Buntu, the executive director of Ebukhosini Solutions, a community-based company specialising in African-centred solutions to social, political and cultural challenges.

He made the remarks during an empowerment programme dubbed The woke tour to inspire young African leaders to create solution-oriented processes through critical thinking, analyses and culturally-rooted practices.

"Some people do not know we already represent solutions. We encoded in our culture, our identity and our past solutions we can draw to run business, manage homes and communities and companies," Baba said.

He added that young Africans should be encouraged to read self-help books and attend seminars on how to raise capital for business.

During the training, participants were grouped into circular formations. Each would generate their own business idea.

It did not matter whether the idea was under consideration or had already been carried done.

One person writes on a piece of paper. Then the group members exchange the papers. Every member writes down advice to improve the idea, depending on the challenges presented.

"Our point was to demonstrate that the youths should not come to me or an expert for advice, but they can learn from each other, my task was to guide the process," Baba said.

The programme was organised in conjunction with Abavubuka Foundation to equip african youth with relevant tools of knowledge to succeed.

Silas Balabyekubo, aka Babaluku, the founder of Abavubuka Foundation, said they are working together with different organisations on the African continent to provide liberating education to march the gap of lost years of wisdom and moral standards of values.

He said the current generation of youth is not consciously aware of what is going around their environment politically, religiously and socially. As such, he said they felt the need to awaken them.

"We are engaging in a continuation of exploring how creativity can be translated from the African context. This is to inspire young Africans to develop businesses that are Africa-based," Babaluku said.