The Forum was co-hosted by YY Ventures, Yunus Centre, and Friends of Social Business, in partnership with Tangaza University College, The Grameen Creative Lab, Yunus Social Business, Yunus Environment Hub, Aspen Network of Development entrepreneurs-ANDE, Yunus + You – The YY Foundation, and Nationale Postcode Loterij.
The East Africa Social Business Forum on Youth Entrepreneurship 2023 brought together a dynamic and inspiring group of entrepreneurs, students, thought leaders, change-makers and enablers from the East African region and beyond. This forum was attended by 250+ delegates from South Africa, USA, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Australia, and other countries, and 35+ speakers on site from all over the globe, while many others live streamed the forum online. The event served as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing - fostering exciting conversations centered on unlocking the entrepreneurial potential and spirit of the East African youth.
Youth Entrepreneurship is a powerful tool in shaping the future of East Africa, particularly in countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Youth Entrepreneurship holds tremendous potential for driving economic growth, job creation, and social impact in East Africa. The forum explored how by harnessing innovative ideas, energy, and determination of young entrepreneurs, East Africa is poised to unlock new opportunities and build a more prosperous and sustainable future. The day-long forum was packed with an exciting lineup of keynote speeches, workshops, and panel discussions that brought together a rich community of impact enablers who share a common goal of developing sustainable social business solutions to tackle East Africa's urgent social and environmental challenges.
The Forum aims to provide attendees with a platform for knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities and encourage the creation of social businesses in the region. Professor Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Founder of Grameen Bank, and the Chairman of Yunus Centre, emphasized the importance of redesigning our system to create a better world. In his keynote speech, he said, “The things that we do today are done in the wrong way, as a result, we have created a wrong world. This has put us on a suicidal path. Our time on the planet is marked, because now, it is a matter of survival. If we do not redesign, we will not exist.”
The East Africa Social Business Forum on Youth Entrepreneurship 2023 was a resounding success, bringing together young entrepreneurs with a shared vision of creating sustainable social impact. This served as an invaluable platform for knowledge-sharing, networking, and facilitating connections for delegates with like-minded peers, mentors, potential investors, and global leaders. As we reflect on the forum and look back at all the young changemakers, entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, and their initiatives to drive positive change in their communities and beyond, we feel inspired because the future of social business in East Africa is in capable hands!
Watch the highlight video to experience the energy and passion!
