creating an 'open business community' for youths in business to enhance business survival, profitability, community development
A sustainable business network that will see more youths engage in productive and profitable business ventures by networking enterprises and marketing, business management training and financial security and to be more conscious of their environment by better waste management.
we also want to improve the health status of the urban youth by education on effects of drug addiction, cheaper sources of balanced diet foods and general health welfare of the community by organising free clinics and health check ups
About You
About You
First Name
patrick
Last Name
mbatia
Facebook Profile
http://www.facebook.com/login/setashome.php?ref=genlogin#!/pmbatia
About Your Organization
Organization Name
Githurai Youth in Business Forum
Organization Website
Organization Country
Kenya, NA
Country where this project is creating social impact
Kenya, NA
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
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Innovation
Entry Form title
creating an 'open business community' for youths in business to enhance business survival, profitability, community development
What change do you want to bring to the world?
A sustainable business network that will see more youths engage in productive and profitable business ventures by networking enterprises and marketing, business management training and financial security and to be more conscious of their environment by better waste management.
we also want to improve the health status of the urban youth by education on effects of drug addiction, cheaper sources of balanced diet foods and general health welfare of the community by organising free clinics and health check ups
What are the primary activities of your project?
1. business sharing forums between youths in business/owners,
2. mentorship and coaching programmes for new start ups and seasoned enterprises,
3. marketing of products through websites, flyers,
4. Seminars, training meetings for issues affecting business survival such as legal, financial
the combination of this will see more youth self employed into sustainable, self proficient and profitable ventures that can support them and their families and while at it improve their community welfare in terms of health, diet and environmental care
5. public meetings and clinics for health, balanced food consumption, inter community harmony and environmental care
What is innovative about your initiative? How is it a new contribution to the field?
the innovation is to create an 'open business community' which has shared resources and knowledge between youths in business within one locality of Githurai Peri-urban of Nairobi city.
This in essence creates a network where business owners can interact with each other, engage each other in business and enhance the business culture, provide advice and mentor-ship to related start-ups (to cushion them from failure,share experiences and market trends) introduce a revolving fund to provide better financial security and sources of funds and while at it promote the immediate community's welfare.
The project involves the Ministry of Youth affairs, Ministry of trade, the local Municipal council, local NGOs and others from the private sector.
The project implementation has a low budget and is driven by the social goodwill of members already enrolled, the community and government agencies.It does not advocate for direct funding to youth businesses rather than support grants towards implementation through seminars, media publicity, training forums, boot-camps and general assemblies.
with this forum we can assist more youths get into self enterprise with knowledge that they can find help to start up, survive grow and funding and thus support their families through sustainable enterprises. This collectively reduces the dependency ratio, unemployment, social ills and promotes a better community with a cleaner environment, healthier people and improved business culture.
What stage is your project in?
Operating for less than a year
Tell us about the community that you engage? eg. economic conditions, political structures, norms and values, demographic trends, history, and experience with engagement efforts.
Githurai peri-urban of Nairobi City is a low to middle income zone (most residents earn between one to two dollars a day, living on the poverty line). It hosts about half a million people who live and work in and around the city.This comprises a mixed population from all tribes in Kenya with variant political and religious affiliation. it borders the urban area to the central Kenya upcountry and is a front to which rural-urban migrants settle. there are over 100,000 youths settled here.Most business enterprises are owned or operated by youths constituting about 75% of the total business ventures. The main economic activity is business; product, service and light manufacturing(these range from shop keepers, cyber cafes, tailors, shoe makers, motor vehicle mechanics e.t.c) these are also the breadwinners of their families and may also extend to their siblings.
most youth in business however lack basic skills in business management, education and their practice is simple and not informed either due to lack of adequate funds or ignorance. This leads to a high level of failure for start ups and general frustration which lead to social ills and increased dependancy.
The multi cultural aspect of the youth promotes their engagement in inter-tribal peace and harmony preventing violence and tension.
I have owned a business in this area for two years running and have been a member of the Githurai youth in business forum for one and a half years now.
Share the story of the founder and what inspired the founder to start this project
The founder of Githurai Youth in Business (Patrick)was a business owner in a shopping mall and together with 7 other youths operating businesses around, began a revolving funds scheme which grew to embrace other youth growing to a 30 member association. The members would have a general assembly every end month and discuss issues in their business practice. This founded the basis of the open community since members got more knowledge of each other's interests and had better interaction. however some lacked basic financial skills, business/market information/ legal issues leading to their fall out and business failure and thus the group sought government support on training and business development. To date over 200 youth have been trained in various Business principles while our association offers mentor-ship to new business entrants. the group encourages members to be conscious of their own micro-environments and thus the general community will be cleaner and safer for living.
Social Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
Please describe how your project has been successful and how that success is measured
the project has been successful in the following aspects:
1. more youths are being educated on proper business practice/management (to date over 200 youth are enrolled in a continuing education programme)
2. there has been fewer fallouts and business failures from our registered network ( registered survival rate of 70% within one year)
3. Increased business traffic between members and thus better sales volumes
4. better business culture/practice amongst existing members
5. increased social goodwill from community projects done such as environmental clean-ups, public health clinics and education on food
this success has been measured by:
1. monitoring progress of registered businesses (financial records)
2. feedback from members about their business interactivity (through interviews and surveys)
3. Numbers registered during community volunteerism on events such as clean ups, clinics
4. training seminars and mentor-ship programs ( attendants and number of events)
How many people have been impacted by your project?
101-1,000
How many people could be impacted by your project in the next three years?
1,001-10,000
How will your project evolve over the next three years?
The project will embrace a larger population of membership, aim at reaching out to more youth in the next one year. upon successful implementation of the phase one, the model will be replicated in other cities, towns and counties of the country.
The project will aim to reach out to 1 million youths training them on practical methods of business management and entrepreneurship throughout the country. The alumni of the project will form a network of mentor-ship and support while doing business with youth from all corners of the country. This will be used to form exchange programmes and expositions where ideas can be exchanged while marketing their products.
Sustainability
What barriers might hinder the success of your project and how do you plan to overcome them?
1. Political interference: the project is being executed in an elections period and politicians may wish to gain mileage from the organised group
2. financial support. Some of the group's activities are quite involving financially and the successful implementation may not be achieved
3. consistency of members in programs, events, seminars e.t.c
solutions
1. strict adherence to project objectives and avoid interference by politicians
2. expansion of sources of funding to member registration fees, subscriptions, grants and indirect funding from external sources
3. having short seminars and less involving seminars in terms of half day, fewer hours on projects to encourage more participation
Tell us about your partnerships
The organisation has the following in its team:
1. Local municipal council of Ruiru which provides support in terms of venues: halls for meetings, trucks for garbage collection, medical officers for public clinics
2. The ministry of youth affairs provides trainers during seminars and negotiates waivers for special needs
3. The local business community: supermarkets and banks which supports us during community activities as part of their CSR
Current annual budget of project, in US dollars
$10,001‐50,000
Explain your selections
1. Individuals: members contribute through their registration fees and subscription. their volunteerism in community service also counts as support. 70% of our total budget has been through individual and beneficiary contributions.
2. Local NGOs also provide training material and facilitators during seminars and meetings. This mostly comes in the form of training grants and event sponsorships
3. Local government provides conference halls and community projects equipment. they have also provided medics during medical camps, garbage trucks for clean up activities
4. National government through their facilitators and business advisors during meetings,seminars and exposition days.
How do you plan to strengthen your project in the next three years?
1. increase the target population to 1 million youths around the country within a three year time frame by popularity agencies and managing the regional projects effectively.
2. increase membership, subscription and registration fees to enable us support our budget
3. source for external funds and grants to help increase implementation efficiency and project popularity, by involving more partners from the local business community, national, county and municipal governments,
4. leverage on technology by building a website where members can interact and market their services and products
5. build on sustainable activities such as exchange programs, boot-camps, expositions and financial revolving schemes
6. identify concurrent objectives that can be chartered on the mission such as civil rights education
Challenges
Which barriers to employment does your innovation address?
Please select up to three in order of relevancy to your project.
PRIMARY
Lack of access to information and networks
SECONDARY
Underemployment
TERTIARY
Lack of efficiency
Please describe how your innovation specifically tackles the barriers listed above.
1. creating a network of youth involved in business and encouraging them to support each other
2.supporting youth led enterprises that are practical, sustainable and profitable
3. educating youths on better methods to practice business, management tips and finding funding for them.
Are you trying to scale your organization or initiative?
If yes, please check up to three potential pathways in order of relevancy to you.
PRIMARY
Grown geographic reach: Within host country
SECONDARY
Leveraged technology
TERTIARY
Enhanced existing impact through addition of complementary services
Please describe which of your growth activities are current or planned for the immediate future.
1. the model will be replicated in other parts of the city, other towns and counties around the country within the next 3 years
2. the project will embrace media communication such as websites, TV and radio shows, Print news featured articles.
3. to increase the impact and reduce time of implementation, the project will use more avenues such as bootcamps, exchange programmes and seminars to effect objectives
Do you collaborate with any of the following: (Check all that apply)
Government, Technology providers, NGOs/Nonprofits, Academia/universities.
If yes, how have these collaborations helped your innovation to succeed?
1. the project uses both the local government (in sourcing for venues for public meetings, seminars and equipment for clean-ups, clinics) and the national government to supply facilitators and material for training
2. the project is in the process of building a website and social blogs for communication
3. the project uses established NGOs in auditing, financial management and disbursements. we also have NGOs supporting in terms of training and evaluation and monitoring
4. the program has seminars held in academic colleges and has found support from their department of Business studies in lecturers and research
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| 193151_155737887821652_100001563242428_394807_7610283_o.jpg | 105.29 KB |
 | 106 weeks ago patrick mbatia updated this Competition Entry. |
| 108 weeks ago patrick mbatia updated this Competition Entry. |
| 108 weeks ago patrick mbatia updated this Competition Entry. |
| 108 weeks ago patrick mbatia submitted this idea. |
