From October 24-28, 2018, the Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) is organizing the 7th International i-Boot Camp. This year’s theme is “Africa in the Digital Age: Youth Bringing Physical Integration Closer Through ICTs”.
Africa in the Digital Age: Rapidly Digitizing Upwards
More than 300 young people will be challenged to build digital, sustainable and viable businesses at Camp i-Boot. Coming from both sides of the African borders, these future leaders must demonstrate their ability to stand out in a competitive market characterized by the speed of trade, thus promoting rapid digitization from the bottom up.
10,000 Reward at stake
The most innovative idea will be awarded US$10,000. This financial boost should help the project leader to support its implementation. Other prizes and scholarships are also up for grabs for the finalists.
An innovative and connected Africa
According to YALDA and its partners, the African continent should take advantage of its human resources. And these are characterized by its young shoots. Their challenge through Camp i-Boot is to find solutions to the lack of access to information. But there is also the issue of massive unemployment, sustainable ICT infrastructure and motivational opportunities.
Facilitating entry into the global labour market
Thus, Africa’s transition to the digital age should bring its share of benefits to young people. These include access to education through online courses, job creation and the reduction of information asymmetry. This should greatly facilitate entry into the highly competitive labour market.
Encouraging African youth to develop their business
The President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Salaheddine Mezouar, also spoke at the launch of the 7th International i-Boot Camp. He testifies that most young people are reluctant to create and develop their activities on the African continent. According to him, this is the result of weak and undeveloped infrastructure, poor connectivity, market size and a financing problem.
Africa as a growth area
Moreover, Africa remains, according to him, the continent that “all financiers in the world see as a space where growth is certain and are keen to accompany entrepreneurs, whose abilities and ideas correspond to a real need. For his part, Matthews Mmopi, president of YALDA International, believes that “improving the digital literacy of young Africans will give them more opportunities to create successful businesses.
Africa’s greatest asset: its people
The objective of this i-Boot Camp is to identify ways to mobilize Africa’s greatest asset – its people. Indeed, the latter, and especially its start-ups, can contribute significantly to the development of the continent through ICT.
