The Coast region has, for many years, grappled with a drug abuse crisis, particularly among the youth, resulting in shattered dreams and lost potential for many.
In response, one organisation has taken a leading role in transforming the lives of thousands of young people across the six coastal counties by mentoring and equipping them with skills to drive innovation, boost employment, and improve livelihoods.
Swahilipot Hub Foundation, a community-based organisation, has expanded its reach across East Africa, where its empowerment programs are changing lives through technology, the arts, and entrepreneurship.
A key milestone for the foundation, which set out to bridge the gap in innovation and technology, was the launch of Pwani Innovation Week in 2018. This initiative has experienced exponential growth, focusing on unlocking untapped potential in various sectors, including the blue economy.
According to the foundation’s Chief Mentor, Mahmoud Noor, the annual innovation week has helped harness the region’s potential by stimulating the innovation ecosystem in the Pwani region of East Africa.
The Innovation Week, now in its sixth edition, is set to take place from October 27th to 31st. Over the years, the event has expanded its reach across the entire Swahili Coast, with participation from Tanga, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar in the United Republic of Tanzania.
Mozambique and Kismayu in Somalia have also been onboarded, an expansion that, according to Mahmoud Noor, is creating a central platform for young people to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and drive regional innovation.
“We decided to fill the gap where innovation and technology were largely concentrated in Nairobi, leaving out youth in the Coast region due to distance and limited access,” he told KBC Channel 1. “It was unfair to the young people, who are the majority yet often disenfranchised. So, we decided to create a hub in Mombasa, and we’ve since expanded to all six coastal counties.”
“From 2018, we decided to have the Innovation Week and showcase Pwani, which is known for juvenile crimes and drug abuse, positively”, he said.
He notes that the hubs offer mentorship and address issues related to intellectual property to help safeguard young innovators’ ideas. The goal is to ensure these ideas thrive through linkages with government enablers, private investors, and access to grants.
“We offer mentorship, support on intellectual property, help protect their ideas, and connect them to government enablers and private investors,” he adds. “We also make it easier for them to access grants and grow their innovations.”
The foundation is also helping youth leverage technology by providing a platform to pitch their ideas. The most promising concepts are presented to the private sector and later showcased during Innovation Week.
According to Noor, many young people are hungry for networks and exposure, needs the foundation is actively addressing.
“There is a gap where young people want to be mentored and guided, and we have created these spaces to help and connect them to the right people. We also advocate for exposure both internationally and locally”, he says.
Last year, Swahilipot Hub facilitated a team of youth to travel to India, and this year, several others are set to travel to Brazil as part of its global exposure initiatives.
So far, over 25,000 young people have benefited from the foundation’s various programs. Among them, 9,000 have received mentorship, 6,000 have undergone transformation programs, and 1,900 have been supported to secure employment or start their own businesses.
Mahmoud Noor says the foundation now aims to expand its database by an additional 20,000 youth, with a focus on reaching more individuals from Kwale, Kilifi, and Mombasa counties.
He emphasises the critical role young people play in driving sustainable economic growth, a responsibility he says the foundation, with support from its partners, is committed to advancing. The goal is to position Pwani as a leading hub for sustainable and innovative investment.
“ We are all set for the Innovation week, which aspires to be the catalyst that sparks a thriving innovation ecosystem within the region by showcasing the remarkable achievements of young, local entrepreneurs”, he emphasises.
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