Under the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Sustainable Inclusive Business (SIB-K) in partnership with The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) on Saturday 29th July held a Career Fair for entrepreneurial women and youth interested in social enterprises within Mombasa.
The event was held at one of Mombasa’s innovation hubs- SwahiliPot Hub, from 8 am. The goal of the Career Fair was to create a forum for entrepreneurial youth to form networks, and share their ideas with other experienced entrepreneurs in their field.
Among the guests were SwahiliPot Hub Director- Dr. Mahmoud Noor, Registrar Partnerships and Innovation– Technical University of Mombasa (TUM)- Dr. Sylvia Mutua, and Kenya Red Cross Innovation Manager- Priyanka Patel. Representing entrepreneurs and the Mombasa County Government respectively, were a representative each for BausTaka’s Co-founder & Executive Director- Dr. Tayba Hatimy, and County Executive Council Member (CECM)- Mr. Kenneth Ambani- Department of Public Administration, Youth and Social Services County of Mombasa.
Dr. Noor appreciated the youth, stating that the career fair is an important event for university students looking to smoothly transition into entrepreneurship or employment. The Hub’s Director emphasized on the need to create partnerships and build one’s reputation early while shifting into the social entrepreneurship path. Being one of Mombasa’s most popular spaces where creative business ideas are pitched and tested or criticized, SwahiliPot Hub already plays a huge role in empowering entrepreneurial youth.
Representing the practicing social entrepreneurs, BausTaka Cofounder & Executive Director Dr. Tayba Hatimy’s speech read by her representative- BausTaka’s Mr. Rahim Mwatsahu, recalled her days as a startup in her venture with nothing but her dream of leaving a positive impact around her environment. Through her speech she, urged the youth to fight through the temptation of giving up. “This career fair is just the beginning of your journey into the world of social entrepreneurship. Embrace the challenges, learn from failures, and never lose sight of your vision to make a positive change. Your passion and determination will be the driving force that shapes the future of our community,” said Dr. Tayba’s representative.
The tertiary education sector, was represented by Technical University of Mombasa’s (TUM) Registrar Partnerships Research and Innovation, Dr. Sylvia Mutua. She emphasized on the importance of higher education in training students to practice becoming solution-oriented innovators. “We believe that education is about more than just acquiring knowledge; it is also about cultivating innovative minds and instilling a desire for positive change,” said Dr. Sylvia Mutua. She added, “The true essence of education is to foster social entrepreneurship, where innovation and compassion come together to pave the way for genuine progress and sustainability.”
All in all, the speakers maintained that to be a successful social entrepreneur, one needs to be proactive, and welcome every career opportunity that comes their way.
This was the first of the two main activities in the project first phase of implementation. The second activity will be an Intergenerational Dialogue Forum to take place at the same venue on Monday 31st July, to further identify and highlight the role of the Private Sector in Social entrepreneurship.
The second phase will focus on exchange programs, site visits for practical demonstrations and mentorship activities for the social initiative entrepreneurs. The goal of the project is to successfully mentor 10 entrepreneurs whose businesses are geared towards Social and Community Development.
Running from July to November 2023, The Kenya Red Cross Society – Funded Project aims to help the women and youth of Mombasa to foster skills that make them self-reliant, and simultaneously create employment options for other youth in the county.
