YES-DRC Network YES-DRC Network PresentationPresentation

Jules RAMAZANIJules RAMAZANI YES-DRC NETWORK YES-DRC NETWORK

COORDINATORCOORDINATOR

Youth Youth Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship

PromotionPromotion

Program Program

in DR CONGOin DR CONGOVERACRUZ, October 4thVERACRUZ, October 4th

YES MEXICO SUMMIT 2004YES MEXICO SUMMIT 2004

Description of ProjectDescription of Project• Target Group: Target Group:

Young people under 40 Young people under 40 years old.years old.

• Rationale for Intervention:Rationale for Intervention: Gap between Gap between

educational system and educational system and labour market needs;labour market needs;

Lack of entrepreneurial Lack of entrepreneurial culture (no creativity, no culture (no creativity, no initiative) among young initiative) among young people;people;

High rate (90%) of youth High rate (90%) of youth unemployment; andunemployment; and

Lack of technical and Lack of technical and financialfinancial support.support.

• Project Goals:Project Goals: Promote youth entrepreneurship; andPromote youth entrepreneurship; and Develop entrepreneurial culture amongst Develop entrepreneurial culture amongst

young people.young people.• Project Design Principles:Project Design Principles:

Observation; Observation; Reflection;Reflection; Vision; Vision; Inspiration; and Inspiration; and Action.Action.

• Project Duration: Project Duration: 2 Years2 Years (2002-2004)(2002-2004)

• Project Inputs:Project Inputs: Material resources;Material resources; Financial resources; and Financial resources; and Human resources.Human resources.

Project CycleProject Cycle

• ConceptualizationConceptualization

The Program was The Program was conceptualized and conceptualized and implemented in the first implemented in the first stage in Kinshasa (Capital stage in Kinshasa (Capital city of DRC) by APEC – city of DRC) by APEC – NGO NGO [www.web-africa.org/apec] [www.web-africa.org/apec] Team.Team.

We are collaborating with:We are collaborating with: ACEE of Quebec: technical ACEE of Quebec: technical

support;support;

Paul Fortin, President of Accès Entreprise, Paul Fortin, President of Accès Entreprise, Quebec: technical support.Quebec: technical support.

Youth Development Network (YDN), South Youth Development Network (YDN), South Africa: technical and financial support.Africa: technical and financial support.

Ministry of Industry & SMEs: moral support;Ministry of Industry & SMEs: moral support; Ministry of Youth and sports: moral and material Ministry of Youth and sports: moral and material

support; and support; and FEC (Federation of Enterprises of Congo): moral FEC (Federation of Enterprises of Congo): moral

and material support.and material support.

ImplementationImplementation

Our Methodology consists in implementing and Our Methodology consists in implementing and supporting:supporting:

- Student Entrepreneurs Clubs in the Universities Student Entrepreneurs Clubs in the Universities and High Schools – Entrepreneurship in Schooland High Schools – Entrepreneurship in School

- Young Entrepreneurs Clubs in the local areas – Young Entrepreneurs Clubs in the local areas – Young Mentorship Pilot Project.Young Mentorship Pilot Project.

The The Results are:Results are:

• Numbers of persons Numbers of persons reached by the activitiesreached by the activities

Student Entrepreneurs Student Entrepreneurs Club project: Club project: - 55 students: 19-25 - 55 students: 19-25

Years oldYears old- 45 males and 10 - 45 males and 10

femalesfemales Young Entrepreneurs Young Entrepreneurs

Club project, Mentorship Club project, Mentorship Pilot project:Pilot project:- 10 Mentors: 7 males 10 Mentors: 7 males

and 3 femalesand 3 females- 10 Protégés: 9 males 10 Protégés: 9 males

and 1 femaleand 1 female

• Response from CommunityResponse from CommunityThe beneficiaries of the program are:The beneficiaries of the program are:- Young students in universities and high Young students in universities and high

schools;schools;- Young entrepreneurs; andYoung entrepreneurs; and- Others unemployed young people.Others unemployed young people.

• YES Framework for Action: YES Framework for Action: – The YES-DRC Network favors youth The YES-DRC Network favors youth

entrepreneurship promotion as a effective entrepreneurship promotion as a effective strategy to fight against poverty and youth strategy to fight against poverty and youth unemployment in DR Congo.unemployment in DR Congo.

• Plans for the Future Plans for the Future - To strengthen, reinforce and consolidate the To strengthen, reinforce and consolidate the

current actions;current actions;- To develop new projects in environmental To develop new projects in environmental

entrepreneurship: biodiversity and renewable entrepreneurship: biodiversity and renewable energies areas;energies areas;

- To develop partnership with International To develop partnership with International organizations, the private sector and other organizations, the private sector and other donors;donors;

- To extend the YES-DRC Network activities in To extend the YES-DRC Network activities in nationwide (in all country provinces).nationwide (in all country provinces).

Challenges and Lessons LearnedChallenges and Lessons Learned

• Problems FacedProblems Faced Since 2002 YES-DRC Since 2002 YES-DRC

Network is working in a Network is working in a very tough situation very tough situation because of the following because of the following facts:facts:

- Political instability: four Political instability: four Years of war and Years of war and rebellions;rebellions;

- Bad governance;Bad governance;- Lack of a National Lack of a National

Employment Policy;Employment Policy;- Lack of a National Youth Lack of a National Youth

Policy;Policy;

- Economic crisis;Economic crisis;

- Cultural obstacles among young Cultural obstacles among young people and at the community level people and at the community level in creating new initiatives (especially in creating new initiatives (especially in terms of entrepreneurship); andin terms of entrepreneurship); and

- Youth poverty.Youth poverty.

•New knowledgeNew knowledge- We understand that to succeed in our We understand that to succeed in our

work we must build strong partnerships work we must build strong partnerships with many stakeholders (Government, with many stakeholders (Government, Educational Institutions, Medias, Educational Institutions, Medias, International Organizations, Financial International Organizations, Financial Institutions and other donors).Institutions and other donors).

- YES-DRC Network must be professional YES-DRC Network must be professional to be competitive nationally and to be competitive nationally and internationally.internationally.

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!