According to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, the programme was part of government’s proactive strategies to tackle graduate unemployment.

UNEDEP will be implemented by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education.

The programme was created to enhance and re-orientate the values of undergraduates while providing a mentoring platform for students, reduce poverty and youth unemployment, re-orientate the undergraduate toward the right values among other objectives .

Speaking during the unveiling of the programme, Aganga, said the programme would give students the opportunity for practical hands on experience to enable them to successfully manage their own businesses.

“UNEDEP’s mission is to ‘catch them young’. The programme focuses on entrepreneurship development of undergraduates and aims to create future entrepreneurs; encourage self-employment; embed business ethics among the youth and consequently reduce the incidence of poverty.

“We will achieve this by using the existing Network for African Student Entrepreneurs club structure and deriving a standard schedule of activities for all members across all universities.

“Part of our strategy is to assess existing scalable student businesses to determine ways to enhance these, and then, creating a platform for student mentoring by successful entrepreneurs. Our goal is for students to receive the necessary capacity building as part of the activities of the entrepreneurship clubs.”

Relatively, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqqayyatu Rufai, in her sppech adjudged that there is need for the country to promote the culture of entrepreneurship among students to reduce unemployment.

“All over the world, entrepreneurship has been identified as the major driver of economic growth and development… The success of many economies can be traced to entrepreneurs who started small and then grew to become multinationals,” she said.

The post Nigeria Launches UNEDEP To Promote Self Employment Among Graduates appeared first on Ventures Africa | .

The University will be committed to producing graduates who have skills and knowledge to meet Ghana’s industrial, societal and governmental needs.

African students across the continent would also be able to access the University’s academic excellence in teaching and research.

According to the Project Director of TNE, Ravghav Lal, the University is currently working with Ghana’s National Accreditation Board to secure accreditation to start admitting students in October.

Lal explained that students would be able to choose from a range of undergraduate courses in management, business, international relations, computer science, law and psychology and its high acclaimed Global MBA among other post graduate and foundation programmes.

Speaking on the new development, Rakesh Wahi, founder of TNE said: “the campus is our first education venture in West Africa and share group vision of creating a network of branch campus experience in Africa, through quality teaching, state of the art infrastructure, research led curriculum and innovation in delivery of the curriculum.”

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Mark E. Smith, stated that the campus “offers students a different learning experience with the future career benefits of gaining a globally recognised Lancaster degree.”

Officially known as the University of Lancaster, the Lancashire-England based university was established by Royal charter in 1964 and it is today recognised as outstanding in research and teaching.

The post UK’s Lancaster University To Open In Ghana By October appeared first on Ventures Africa | .

Now in its eighth year, eLearning Africa will be bringing together a wide range of perspectives on ICT for development, education and training. The conference will also be preceded by the annual eLearning Africa round table meeting of education and ICT ministers from across Africa.

“This year our focus will be on innovation and we are all really proud that some of the most exciting and innovative new solutions in education have been pioneered and developed in Africa”, says Rebecca Stromeyer, founder of eLearning Africa and Executive Director of ICWE.

Africa is experiencing a technological surge and it is having a dramatic effect on education throughout the Continent. Tech hubs are blossoming, new mobile devices and apps are being designed and produced in Africa, by Africans, and Africa’s eLearning market is now the fastest-growing in the world.

This local innovation reveals itself in many forms. Expert speakers at the conference will talk on such diverse issues as African MOOCs, eLearning in refugee contexts, technology’s role in preserving oral traditions and imaginative solutions to lack of broadband access.

The overarching themes of the conference, Tradition, Change and Innovation, set up a tension which these speakers will explore in many different and fascinating ways. Erin Hayba, the Associate Community Services Officer at UNHCR, will show the results of his work in the Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya, where the installation of solar-powered ICTs in 39 schools, and an innovative community-based maintenance and sustainability programme, have overcome the traditionally problematic language barriers in the camp and improved the prospects of 80,000 young people.

Mignon Hardie of the FunDza Literacy Trust, South Africa will be talking about the impact of mobile networks on literacy and literature. Her organisation’s creative writing platform shares quality teen fiction among young South Africans and encourages them to share stories – creating their own African content.

The post ICT For Education Solutions: In Africa, By Africans, For The Global Economy appeared first on Ventures Africa | .

VENTURES AFRICA – Quitters never win. A sizeable number of the world’s most successful people have failed or had setbacks at one time or the other in their lives. Multi-billionaire, Richard Branson was dyslexic, President Bill Clinton was caught in an infidelity scandal, Ronaldo De Lima nursed an ankle injury for over a year, Steve Jobs was kicked out of Apple – a company which he founded, Ray Charles was a drug addict, Donald Trump lost billions and went bankrupt and Peter denied Jesus Christ three times in one morning! Nobody is born with all the answers to life; setbacks and failures are possible natural occurrences, but, they can and should be surmounted. The ability to keep keeping on in the face of defeat is what separates career champions from failures.

Encourage Yourself

Are you facing a query, laid off, your practising license revoked or your business went bankrupt? Whatever the case may be, the first devastating effect of career setbacks or failures is emotional bankruptcy; life zaps out of you, your confidence evaporates and you are so destabilized the beer becomes your best friend or you walk out of the house without your make-up on. This is totally normal but you must stop wallowing in self-pity and depression, encourage yourself and build your confidence to get your life back in order. Accept that the deed has been done and stop crying over spilt milk. Be strong. Career setbacks usually bring with them stigma and mocking. Ignore the nay sayers. Hang out with people that care about you and engage in activities that lighten you up. It would help cheer you up and refresh your body and soul. Do not dwell on blaming yourself, anyone or anything for your setback instead change your thoughts to ‘what is the next step?’

Learn From Your Setback

Napoleon Hill, author of the classic bestseller, ‘Think And Grow Rich’, wrote in his book: ‘Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.’ This is as true as one plus one equals two . If you experience failure, it is because something somewhere went wrong. If you can take your time to meditate and discover what went wrong, you would discover the problem and with further probing, you would be able to discover the solution to that problem. Experience is the best teacher. The problems facing the ecosystem and the present cities of the world have forced an increase in research and innovators have come up with new ways of doing things. Highly successful individuals are high risk takers who have made many blunders and experienced a lot of setbacks yet they record phenomenal success after having gained a wealth of experience from their setbacks. According to the author of ‘The Bounce Back Book’, Karen Salmansohn, Bill Gates so cherishes the potential of the lessons of failure that he purposely hires people who have made mistakes. She also pointed out that when the New Coke marketing campaign failed, the executive who launched it was fired but former Coca Cola CEO, Roberto Goizueta rehired him because of his ‘risk-taker mentality.’ “You can only stumble if you are moving” Roberto said.

Take Actions And Stick To Them

There are many things that can cause a halt or bump in a person’s career. It could be a downturn in the economy or a particular sector, government policy, health problems, bankruptcy, personal failure, etc. A victim of a career setback brought about by a downturn in the economy or a particular sector could need to take very drastic steps such as changing careers in order to bounce back. A professional who is the architect of his own career failure would need to make the necessary adjustments, if not the failures would repeat themselves. It is crucial to make new decisions, take new steps and stick to them in order to survive a career setback. Albert Einstein taught that it is insanity to keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. The UK lost one of her most talented artiste ever – Amy Winehouse, to years of succumb to hard drugs. Many friends and associates tried to talk her out of it but all to no avail. On the other hand, Ray Charles overcame his addiction to drugs and enjoyed a prolonged and successful career.

Often, career setbacks have been catalysts to never before seen levels of success. It is on record that countless individuals have made outstanding achievements just after a major setback. So, do not be afraid as you take new steps to bounce back. Richard Branson’s Virgin Airline grew astronomically after he reluctantly sold his much loved and thriving Virgin Records in order to raise funds to save his failing airline from the crushing assault and siege of British Airways.

The post Handling Career Setbacks Successfully appeared first on Ventures Africa | .

Since launching the organisation in 2010, Rainatou, through MEWC, and the help of volunteers have been working towards promoting African Women’s Rights in the African Women’s Decade (AWD 2010-2020) to “ensure that African women and girls have a real voice in all governance institutions, from the judiciary to the civil service, as well as in the private sector and civil society, so that they can fully participate equally with men in public dialogue and decisions-making and be able to influence the decisions that will determine the future of their families, communities and countries.”

Her efforts in this sphere have been recognised over the years. Apart from featuring on CNN’s African Voices, and being named one of the “20 Youngest Power Women in Africa 2012″, Rainatou was awarded “Most Inspirational Woman” by Women4Africa in 2012, perhaps the highest award to be bestowed upon an African woman. Ventures Africa had a chat with the inspirational Rainatou Sow and here’s what she had to say:

VA: Tell us about yourself growing up

RSOW: My life was the one of an ordinary young girl; the only difference was that I was always involved in doing some community work. From teaching evening classes to young girls in my neighbourhood after school to representing my school, joining the Guinean children parliament where I used to be the Minister of children and women affairs and then working with Unicef at a very young age to promote children’s education with a focus on girl child, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), HIV/AIDS through door to door and radio/TV awareness campaign. I have always wanted to make a difference, and I took every opportunity to do so.

VA: You started African women and girl child advocacy at a very young age – 12. What inspired you to fully shift your interest to women/girl child advocacy now that you are an adult?

RSOW: In September 2009, while demonstrating against the regime in Guinea, women were raped and sexually abused in the capital – Conakry. This horrible event hunts my life every single day. There was a young woman who was at her 3^rd year at the University among the victims, she was raped and sexually abused. When I saw a picture of her being dragged half naked by two soldiers, I couldn’t sleep for nights. At that point, I decided that I couldn’t keep going on with my life knowing what has just happened without taking actions. That young woman could have been me and her crime was just to ask for democracy and peace.

The creation of the AWD (African Women’s Decade) prompted me to take control of my passion and career and thereby contribute to this landmark event. I wanted to do something that could have a positive impact on African women’s and girls’ lives – and the African Women’s Decade was the perfect opportunity.

VA: When you created “Make every woman count”, what did you hope to achieve and will you say you have been able to achieve what you initially set out to do and more?

RSOW: My vision in starting MEWC was to ensure that African women and girls have a real voice in all governance institutions, from the judiciary to the civil service, as well as in the private sector and civil society, so that they can fully participate equally with men in public dialogue and decisions-making and be able to influence the decisions that will determine the future of their families, communities and countries.

Through Make Every Woman Count, my aim is to provide a spectrum of platforms and tools for African women, grassroots, activists, international organisations and women rights groups. I feel that what has been missing from the African women’s movement is a space, a voice that comes directly from African women. Most organizations that focus on empowering and gaining the equal rights of women often neglect the voices of African women themselves.

I see a bright future of young African women who are showing themselves to be leaders in their own equal rights and through MEWC; I hope to help them find strength in their voices while raising awareness on their issues and work on the international stage.

Throughout my journey, I would like to be a role model for young African women and men, to inspire, to motivate them to stand out and make a difference in whatever they choose to do, so that young African women and African youths in general will really take over the leadership of all of our countries.

VA: What are the challenges you faced in creating a female-gender based organisation and how have you been able to manage these challenges?

RSOW: As a young woman led organisation, we have many struggles to deal with. The main one is getting funding to sustain our work.

I am not afraid of these challenges as I was expecting them. I wasn’t expecting to start my organisation and have money flowing in the first few months. Having said this; it has been very hard for us to secure funding to sustain our work.

Make Every Woman Count (MEWC) is mostly run by a team of volunteers who are using their skills and knowledge to fulfil MEWC’s mission. However, the journey is full of challenges and we try our best every day to overcome these barriers. We are competing with bigger organisation for the same funding and I can tell you that it is very though.

Instead of investing in young people ideas, most funders would rather give the money to big organisations to do the work. Young women and men have difficulties getting their own voice heard because they are young and are expected to keep quiet and “wait for their time”.

I like to believe that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and this is just another challenge we will overcome.

VA: MEWC draws inspiration from African women around the world. What is MEWC doing to make the African Union’s African Women’s Decade (AWD) a significant one?

RSOW: MEWC is working to promote and raise awareness of the African Women’s decade. We do this through our social media, publications and events. Since the first year of the African Women’s Decade, MEWC publishes a yearly report that summarises the progress made by African countries regarding women’s rights and gender equality on the continent.

MEWC will publish one report yearly throughout the 10-year duration of the African Women’s Decade.

MEWC’s Annual Review of the African Women’s Decade (AWD) aims to evaluate the progress, or lack thereof, made to include and promote the rights of women at the country, regional, and Pan-African levels. This is done by presenting each country on the continent with a background and a presentation of progress and developments made within different areas, with importance for the human rights of women and gender equality.

We evaluate each of the levels around our central gender issues, including Women, Peace and Security; Violence Against Women; Political Participation and Leadership; Economic Empowerment; HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health; and Human Rights of Women. The report is divided into sections according to regional visions of the African continent, and the countries are then presented individually.

The objective of the report is twofold: firstly, it is meant to be a reference to provide insight into the rights of women in Africa during the AWD and secondly, to provide pressure on individual countries that either failed to make any progress on women’s rights or repealed legislation protecting women.

The report is also an important tool when advocating for change, as developments regarding progress on gender issues will be made available. Furthermore, the report can function as an incentive for countries to improve their efforts in the areas of gender equality and the human rights of women.

We also organise a conference every year to mark the anniversary of the African Women’s Decade. The conference is a great opportunity to hear about the work Africans are doing to advance women’s rights during the decade – be it in the diaspora or on the continent.

VA: You do an overview annual report on 54 countries in Africa to evaluate the status and conditions of women in African countries. Since you started this report, will you say there have been improvements on these issues?

RSOW: In the past years, there has been some encouraging progress regarding gender equality in Africa.

Some states have made considerable advancements in protecting women from sexual violence as well as encouraging them to participate in politics and election. Most have gender policies or some kind of national women’s mechanism, such as a Ministry of Gender or Ministry of Women’s Affairs. There are also aspects of gender equality in many constitutions and some countries have passed other laws on different aspects of women’s rights.

There has also been some recent progress regarding women’s political in the recent years. Women’s representation in parliaments in Sub-Saharan Africa is now higher than in South Asia, the Arab states or Eastern Europe. The year 2012 has proved promising for the African woman’s status within public bodies. Women are beginning to break the political glass ceiling in many countries and finding their way in roles traditionally occupied by men. According to the 2012 data from the Inter- Parliamentary Union, women occupy 20.2 percent of parliamentary seats in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is slightly higher than the world average of 19.5 percent.

Earlier on last year, Joyce Banda was appointed as the first Malawian woman president to make two female head of state in Africa, while Gambian Fatou Bensouda was elected as the first female International Criminal Court prosecutor. She is the first African to hold this post. The big highlight of the year 2012 was the appointment of the first female Chairperson of the AU Commission Dr. Dlamini-Zuma.

VA: Tell us about the solemn declaration on gender equality

RSOW: During the Third Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in July 2004, the Heads of State and Government adopted the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA).

The Declaration is an important African instrument for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment as it strengthens African ownership of the gender equality agenda and keeps the issues alive at the highest political level in Africa. Through the Solemn Declaration, Heads of State and Government commit themselves to report annually on progress towards gender equality. This was the first time a continental organisation took ownership of gender mainstreaming to the highest level – prioritizing issues such as HIV/AIDS and the recruitment of child soldiers.

According to the Evaluation of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in 2010, report findings from 18 African countries out of the 53 indicated that only 34 per cent of the member states have honoured the commitment of subsequent reporting on progress made in implementing the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) as required under article12.

VA: Will you say in this African Union decade of women voices, African women are finding their voice amongst their male counterpart?

RSOW: Despite the obstacles and challenges they face, a growing proportion of women are breaking through the glass ceiling. Today, African women are beginning to break the political glass ceiling in many countries and finding their way in roles that was traditionally occupied by men. We now have two African women out of 54 head of state and the chair of the African Union is a woman. Women who have entered into leadership positions attribute their success to factors such as access to education and work opportunities, good mentoring by both men and women, support from family, employers, supervisors, teachers and colleagues, and successful lobbying by gender activists.

VA: What will you say is unique about the African women that make it matter that their voices be heard in their community or country?

RSOW: Women represent half of the population in Africa; we simply cannot develop a continent if half of its population is left out. African governments need to tap into the talent and wisdom of women.

It is not a secret that the world’s challenges will not be effectively addressed unless the exclusion faced by women and girls is tackled across the board. We need to have more women in decision-making and leadership positions because whether the issue is food security, economic recovery, health, or peace and security; the participation and inclusion of women is needed today more than ever for more sustainable and equitable solutions.

VA: How do you think the African woman can develop herself in this generation and why must they be empowered to have more roles in decision-making and leadership positions in their society?

RSOW: Over the years, women have taken to the streets to protest against variety of issues affecting them, from rising food prices, to the lack of female political and economic participation, demand for peace negotiations, or to call for the departure of a long-time dictator. Through such actions, women have continuously demonstrated their commitment and their willingness to see their country change for the better. However, when it comes to seeing women in established positions of political power, such as parliamentarians, members of government or even as heads of state; the numbers seems to stall at merely 20.2 percent.

The participation and inclusion of African Women and girls are vital to the continent growth and development. African governments can simply no longer afford to deny the full potential of half of the population. Women and girls need to be empowered and have their developmental skills unleashed to participate in the socio-economic and political development of the continent.

We need to ensure that gains made in women’s political mobilisation, advocacy, and government representation actually reflect a substantial change in the lives of ordinary women, which is still far from a reality. By placing women at the centre of it all, African women and girls will have an opportunity to flourish and become advocates and leaders.

However, there is a need for African Governments to back up their commitments with actions. We need to empower African women and girls with the tools they need to become agents of change.

VA: What role does the government have to play in women advocacy?

RSOW: We need to ask African Governments to be accountable, and take responsibility in keeping their promises. We need to push African governments to work harder on women issues; those who have not ratified the various legal framework to ratify, those who have already ratified to put money aside for implementation with concrete action plans such as clear gender budgeting as well as allocating more funding for food security, human security and better education/health care for sustainable development.

Women’s issues and machineries charged with women’s affairs have been marginalized and under-resourced for too long, and this has led to the very slow implementation of international and regional commitments made to women’s empowerment and gender equality.

It is important to remember that the protection of citizens is up to the Government of each country and UN or International organisations, NGOs cannot act on behalf of a country. Governments and Members of Parliament have a responsibility to ensure that the necessary legislation and norms are in place. They have to allocate the resources needed to turn words into actions when it comes to ensuring the rights of half of the population (women).

I believe that we as the civil society, as well as individuals, should ask our politicians and other decision makers what they are doing to promote women’s rights and to fight the scourge of sexual violence.

While governments and the private sector have their own responsibilities; Africans themselves have a role to play in creating lasting peace and sustainable development in the continent.

VA: Where do you see African women at the end of the AWD era and how do you think such goal can be achieved?

RSOW: By the end of the AWD, I want to see the complete removal of discrimination against women, both in law and in practice, as this greatly hinders women’s economic, social and political rights, women’s land rights as well as their Sexual and reproductive health rights. I will also like to see a 50:50 ratio of women to men in government in Africa.

Political commitment is the key to ensuring women enjoy their rights. African governments need to back up their commitments with actions. Women have to know their rights, and take action to demand accountability. Many are kept in ignorance due to lack of education and information on what the constitutions of their countries say and how the systems/ institutions/laws that are supposed to run their nations should work.

In 10 years, we need to look back at the African Women’s Decade and be proud of what we have achieved as individuals and as a global community.

VA: What is “Make Every Woman Count” up to now?

RSOW: MEWC is currently working on its 2^nd annual report on Women’s political participation & Elections monitoring in Africa over 2012.

We are also organising a month long campaigning in March to invite young African Women between 15-35 years-old to enter the stage, pick up the microphone, and let their voices heard. We are asking them to share their vision for the future and tell the word “the future they want.”

MEWC is also tirelessly working to secure funding to start a leadership and technology training for young African women starting this year.

VA: You are launching a fund-raising right now, what is your organisation hoping to do with that?

RSOW: Since its launch in 2011, MEWC has been operating successfully with virtually no funding beyond the in-kind donation of services that it is already receiving for the last 2 years. While MEWC will continue to embrace volunteerism and in-kind support as a key part of its sustainability and strategic planning; we simply cannot expand our organisation, nor continue to offer the services already established without the income to cover the very real costs that we incur.

With these funds, MEWC will: monitor the status of women’s rights in all 54 African countries in 2013/2014; monitor Women’s political participation and elections throughout Africa in 2013 and 2013; provide two more years of online services, daily news update and resources through our website; launch two years of leadership and technology training workshops for young African women; and organise workshops/training for diaspora African women in UK.

VA: What advice do you have for the African women or girl child reading this?

SOW: First of all, you need to know what you want and make clear plans for your future. If you know what you want and you have the passion and motivation to do it, nothing will stand in your way. More importantly, you have to believe in yourself and stand by your decisions. Life is full of challenges and you will never overcome these challenges if you doubt yourself. Always remember that nothing is impossible if you believe in it and put some work into it, you will succeed. Like Eleanor Roosevelt said: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

VA: What are your future plans?

RSOW: I have many so many that if I start telling you all of them, I will spend the all day on it (laughs) …… but right now, my main plan is to secure enough funding to sustain the MEWC’s work and launch our training project for young African women.

Thank you for your time and keep up the good work.

The post Advocating Women’s Rights In Africa – Rainatou Sow appeared first on Ventures Africa | .

Ventures Africa spoke with Jessica, and she talked about her life, work and future plans.

VA: Tell us a little about yourself

JS: I am a passionate and patriotic South African currently residing in the UK. I grew up in an average South African family and think I was just 16 when I started work as waitress in the local restaurant – establishing what became a life-long love of food and serving people. My Mom and Step Dad worked very hard to give us children what we needed, especially an education, and this has definitely instilled a good work ethic within myself. My mother always taught me to treat others as I would like to be treated, and this is something I still carry with me today. I believe all people are equal.

VA: You were recently honoured as the “Rising Star of the Year” in the South African Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2012; how do you feel about the award and what will you say is the defining factor behind your winning the award.

JS: I am so thrilled to have won this award – it has been a very humbling experience, especially considering the caliber of the other shortlisted nominees. I can’t say necessarily why I won over anyone else, but can only thank all those who have supported me through this journey.

VA: How do you plan to maintain your present prodigy?

JS: I love my country and am passionate about contributing to a positive future for all South Africa. I believe that bringing widespread attention to the challenges affecting our country is the first step to achieving that, as well as getting involved in projects that change people’s lives for the better. Winning this award gives me the platform to do just that – it raises my profile and provides the opportunity for me to draw attention to the initiatives close to my heart. I also hope to inspire other future “Rising Stars” – doing what you do shouldn’t be about winning an award, but about doing what you love.

VA: What do you do as the Network Development and Affiliations Officer at Democratic Alliance Abroad (DAA)?

JS: There are approximately 3 million South Africans living abroad and the DA Abroad aims to mobilise as many of them as we can to get involved in our country’s future. My goal as Network Development and Affiliations Officer is to encourage and support the development of our regional networks around the world. I’m also responsible for identifying like-minded business and organisations that we can work with to achieve mutual objectives.

VA: How has DAA contributed to socio-economic change in local communities in South Africa and the global world?

JS: This year has been a particularly active year for the DA Abroad – we’ve campaigned vigorously against the controversial Protection of State Information Bill, holding protests in London, Washington and Perth. We ’ve hosted a number of senior Democratic Alliance leaders, including Helen Zille and Dr Wilmot James, at events in London that have focused on investment and economic growth in our country. The DA Abroad have also partnered with the Ubunye-Unity Trust to raise funds to purchase desks and chairs for a school in the township of Diepsloot, Gauteng – these were delivered to the school at the end of November.

VA: Aside being a network Development and Affiliations Officer for DAA, you are involved with some community development projects. Kindly tell us about your work experience (s) both past and present.

JS: Giving has always been an integral part of my upbringing – and it’s easy to say that I have always been community-orientated; but working in community development began in earnest over the past two years. My sister Amy also has a Masters in community development and remains an inspiration to me. I became active in the South African community in London just over 2 years ago when I joined the Democratic Alliance Abroad. I was promoted to Network Development and Affiliations Officer within the first year. I’ve also been involved with the launch of the Ubunye-Unity Trust, a UK based charity that looks to facilitate, connect and organise resources, particularly in education, for the betterment of South Africans.

VA: What is your involvement with the “Ubunye-Unity Trust- Adopt a school programme”?

JS: The ‘Adopt a School’ programme was Ubunye-Unity’s inaugural project and one that our trustees feel very strongly about. The school has over 2000 children, whom all compete for desks and chairs in crowded classrooms that vary from new brick-built rooms to shipping containers. We took part in various fundraising events this year to raise money for the school. With these funds we were able to provide the school with desks and chairs and books for the libraries. We were also able to allocate funds to the school so that the children could have their eyes tested.

VA: As an African living abroad, how have you been able to create change(s) in the lives of your countrymen both at home and abroad with your work?

JS: Modern technology and globalisation has shrunk the world, and increasingly, younger South Africans, like myself, may for various reasons find themselves living all over the globe. Contrary to what may be believed about South Africans living abroad, many feel very passionately about their homeland and want to play their part in nation building. The DA Abroad are launching the ‘Vote Home’ campaign which encourages South Africans living abroad to vote in the next national elections in 2014. Many South Africans living abroad have lost touch with what’s happening back home. We see a lot of negative coverage, but not enough about the way our politics are evolving in South Africa and cutting edge insight into challenges. This needs to change.

A groundswell of support is building behind a real desire for hope and change, and that’s really exciting. We want South Africans overseas to be a part of that, to be informed about what it happening back home, and participate in our democracy. Their vote in the 2014 elections will be a crucial to a continued democracy.

VA: How do you see community volunteering improving Africa?

JS: People have many reasons for doing volunteer work on the continent and in South Africa. Many want to help those less fortunate and some are looking for ways to be involved or to make the world a better place. African countries face many complex problems such as poverty, hunger, malnutrition and disease. This has been caused by illiteracy, high population growth rate, corruption, political instability and unjust world economic order. Hundreds of thousands of people volunteer in Africa every year, and these communities all benefit from the range of expertise these volunteers bring to Africa. But an important way to make a real impact is to commit to one or two projects for the long-term. Short-term assistance is great but it does not work in facilitating real change. So as long as long-term relationships are established and maintained, I believe community volunteering has high relevance to Africa.

VA: As a passionate political student/citizen, where do you see South Africa heading to – political and business wise?

JS: Under the current government, South Africa is on a downward spiral. The ANC is no longer the liberation party that Mandela fought so long and hard for and instead is has become entrenched in greed and corruption. This is why the DA is so important, now more than ever. As it has shown in the areas that it governs, where it does govern, communities flourish and grow. This is why it is so important that the DA governs nationally, because they will create this same environment for all South Africans. Despite this situation, I am hopeful. South Africa has limitless potential, much of it patently obvious in the talented people that come out of the country. With sustained direction and political will, the country can achieve its potential and more. For this however, change is needed, a change the DA can offer.

VA: What was the best professional decision you ever made?

JS: To become a member of the Democratic Alliance.

VA: Who are your mentors? Give reasons why you think (they) have inspired you.

JS: Not a mentor as such but most certainly an idol – Nelson Mandela. Madiba understands what it means to fight against enormous odds. He was imprisoned for his political views, and sacrificed his own freedom for the freedom of all South Africans. He believes that every human being is of equal value. He has always inspired me to think beyond myself, and give of myself selflessly.

VA: What information would you like to pass along to readers out there?

JS: If you are a South African citizen living abroad, make sure you vote in the national elections in 2014. Make your mark for the country, as much as for the candidates. If you are returning to waASouth Africa between now and 2014, and have not registered to vote in the last 10 years, please make the effort to register.

VA: Any message for readers / budding social entrepreneurs - Say that in your local language and translate that in English

JS: Kubalulekile ukujunda zithobe uzehlise ukuze wazi ukujunda. Imjundo yija lakho ekekho ongalithatha kuwe zithobe. Angavu meli umuntu oma endleleni yakho, ukuze iphupho lakho lijeezeke kutsho u Mandela. – (Zulu - South African local language)

(Translation in English) Getting an education is the most important thing you can do for yourself. This is something nobody can ever take away from you. Put your head down, and don’t let anything stand in your way of what you would like to achieve. As Nelson Mandela said ‘If you study diligently then you can become a president’.

VA: What are your hopes, thoughts and aspiration for this holiday season and how will this reflect on your plans for the coming year?

JS: All I want is for every child in the world to have access to education… Education is the tool for change and insight. Without it, our world and our nation will continue to descend into petty corruption and unenlightened decision-making. I would like to encourage all South African expats living abroad that are travelling home to register to vote in the next elections while on holiday and be part of the important change we need to see in SA.

The post Meet “The Rising Star” of South African Business – Jessica Shelver appeared first on Ventures Africa | .

AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education, and has been earned by less than five percent of the world’s business programmes. Today, there are 666 business schools in 45 countries and territories that maintain AACSB Accreditation.

Commenting on the achievement, Prof John Powell, director of the USB, said: “It’s been a long journey. Some years ago USB made a decision that it would measure itself against the finest business schools in the world. We set out to gain accreditations from the three international bodies. EQUIS and AMBA came first and today we heard that the final jewel in the crown, AACSB, has just fallen into place. Well, not fallen exactly; it’s taken many years of preparation, self-reflection and development carefully to position the USB in this upper echelon of international business schools.”

He added: “There is no escape from the eagle-eyed gaze of these accreditation teams; they look everywhere and end up knowing your business better than you do, and that’s actually the benefit. The recognition is great, for sure. To be a member of an elite group of perhaps 60 schools in the world who wear this Triple Crown is satisfying, but the real benefit is the contribution all three bodies have made to the development of the School. We can be sure that from our students’ point of view we are offering top-tier international standard business education – from all points of view.”

Powell said it was a great day for the USB, its students, management, support staff, faculty, alumni and friends in the business world, and while the USB believed firmly that there are many excellent business school in South Africa, “I hope they will allow us to feel, at least for today…that we are the best”.

Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting. AACSB Accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution that awards business degrees, according to John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International.

“AACSB congratulates the University of Stellenbosch and Director John Powell on earning accreditation, and we welcome them into the family of AACSB-accredited business schools,” said Fernandes. “Director Powell and the faculty, directors, and staff of the University of Stellenbosch are to be commended for their role in earning accreditation.”

Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, evaluation, and adjustment and can take several years to complete. During these years, the school develops and implements a plan to meet the AACSB Accreditation Standards, which require a high quality teaching environment, a commitment to continuous improvement, and curricula responsive to the needs of businesses. Also required by the AACSB standards, all accredited schools must go through a peer review process every five years in order to maintain their accreditation.

“It takes a great deal of self-evaluation and determination to earn AACSB Accreditation, and I commend the University of Stellenbosch Business School for its dedication to management education, as well as its leadership in the community,” said Fernandes. “Through accreditation, the University of Stellenbosch Business School has not only met specific standards of excellence, but has also made a commitment to on-going improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver high quality education to its students.”

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The 700 participants who attended the two day event discussed strategies geared towards developing and expanding the productive capacities of youths in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) as a whole.

In an effort to develop and expand enterprises within Tunisia’s labour-intensive sectors, with a focus on young university graduates with an entrepreneurial spirit, participants also formulated recommendations for the leaders of Tunisia and other countries in the MENA region that could boost productive and sustainable employment.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the event, a new collaboration among UNIDO, US Agency for International Development (USAID), Hewlett Packard Company (HP) and the government of Italy was announced.

The announcement involved investing 3.3 million to foster sustainable employment opportunities for young people in Tunisia. In particular, it will focus on improving access and quality of services provided to predominantly young entrepreneurs by local institutions, and direct capacity-building for enterprises with high employment potential.

This partnership seeks to leverage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as an effective avenue to facilitate economic development and foster entrepreneurship in order to drive new business creation within four vulnerable, underserved regions of Tunisia: El Kef, Kairouan, Kasserine, and Sidi Bouzid.

In his brief remarks, Director General Kandeh Yumkella noted that “unemployment among educated youths emerges as a major challenge in Tunisia and collaborations like ours that put a strong emphasis on creating employment opportunities for young people entering the workforce will help empower and equip them well into the future.”

“This initiative will help enhance the knowledge and capacity of regional and local business while at the same time provide support and training for organizations that are already on the ground. Our collaboration will also provide much needed technical assistance to targeted companies, particularly those in the agribusiness, environmental and other critical sectors of Tunisia’s varied economy,” said Mara Rudman, USAID Assistant Administrator.

The project will be implemented by UNIDO which draws on extensive experience in the region in assisting the creation and development of new businesses, in particular for young men and women, as well as clean production and resource efficiency.

The USAID contribution is directly tied to its 150 million portfolio of assistance for Tunisia that prioritizes job and business creation, export promotion, and private investment in support of Tunisia’s political transition to democracy in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings.

Structured as a public and private collaboration the partnership is designed, co-funded and co-managed by the partners to ensure that the risks, responsibilities and rewards associated with the venture are equally shared.

Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali and European Commission Vice President, Antonio Tajani attended the event.

The post Tunisia Hosts International Conference On Productive Work For Youth appeared first on Ventures Africa | .

This is among the first deals of its nature in South Africa as the country’s private sector has had a minimal contribution to the education of the country.

This deal will prompt a movement of listed companies acquiring companies that perform well but do not have great resources to educate the children.

Northern Academy was established in 1996 and has grown to the point that it has 3,900 learners, of which 2 200 live in the boarding facilities.

The school has consistently achieved a 100 percent matric pass rate, with 77 percent of pupils receiving a matric exemption. Roughly 80 percent of pupils take maths, science and accounting for matric.

The school is profitable and will push Curro from a loss making position to a profit position at year end.

Aside from the positive financial effect of the deal, this acquisition brings with it considerable intellectual property specifically in the community-schools market which is a focus area for the further expansion.

This is the second time in a week that Old Mutual Emerging Markets has made an acquisition.

Late last week, Old Mutual acquired a majority stake in AIVA, the Latin American distribution business, for an undisclosed sum.

It is believed this acquisition will strengthen Old Mutual’s distribution capability in emerging markets.

Old Mutual’s move shows that the company is steadfast in its resolve to focus only on emerging markets. It unveiled this strategy after its fingers were badly burnt in US when its life business lost billions in failed hedges.

In 2010, it sold its US life business to hedge fund Harbinger Capital for $350 million (£219 million) in a deal that helped the company pay down debt as it jettisoned businesses that hurt its financial position during the financial crisis.

The sale cut Old Mutual’s capital position by about £100m but reduced significantly its exposure to credit risk by shedding a business that was carrying mark-to-market losses of more than $2 billion at the depths of the crisis.

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The annual meeting which welcomes academics, business school leaders, and education professionals from around the globe, was hosted by CENTRUM Catolica, the Graduate Business School of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru.

UCT GSB Director, Walter Baets, commenting on the award, said he was pleased, especially with the verification method for the awardee.

“I believe that a peer-reviewed award such as this is one of the most valuable metrics to measure a business school by,” he remarked.

Concidering the growing importance of African economics, the award points the Cape Town-based graduate business school as a pivotal player and leading teacher on the African continent in emerging market expertise.

According to cp-Africa, the selection makes it the fifth time UCT GSB has walked away with top honours at the business school awards.

Hector Paredes-Tarazona, a former MBA graduate of UCT GSB, and COO of IGH Group South America, accepted the award on behalf of the South African institution which also is the only African business school to have a full-time MBA programme featured in the Financial Times’ Top 100 Global MBA Ranking.

In 2012, the GSB MBA was ranked for the eighth consecutive year by the FT, rising six places to reach 54th place.

Ranked second to the UCT GSB in Africa, wasthe University of Stellenbosch Business School.

The Eduniversal International Scientific Committee (ISC) nominates a selection of 1000 business schools from 153 countries, across nine zones. Schools are nominated based on a global mapping system made up of criteria such as universality and international reputation. From the selection, deans and directors of the business schools are asked to vote for the school they recommend most.

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