YES-DRC Network YES-DRC Network PresentationPresentation

Jules RAMAZANIJules RAMAZANI YES-DRC NETWORK YES-DRC NETWORK

COORDINATORCOORDINATOR

Youth Youth Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship

Promotion Promotion Programme in DRCProgramme in DRC

MEXICO October 4, 2004MEXICO October 4, 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 among Develop entrepreneurial culture among

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 Programme was The Programme 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.

Implementation Implementation 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

What are the What are the ResultsResults??

• 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 programme are:The beneficiaries of the programme 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 poverty and youth strategy to fight poverty and youth unemployment in DR Congo.unemployment in DR Congo.

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

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

biodiversity and renewable energies biodiversity and renewable energies areas;areas;

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

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

- Political Instability: four Political Instability: four years of war and years of war and rebellions;rebellions;

- Bad governence;Bad governence;- 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 people and at Cultural obstacles among young people and at

the community level in creating new initiatives the community level in creating new initiatives (especially in terms of entrepreneurship); and(especially in terms of entrepreneurship); and

- Youth poverty.Youth poverty.

• New KnowledgeNew Knowledge - We understand that to succeed in our work we We understand that to succeed in our work we

must build strong partnerships with many must build strong partnerships with many stakeholders (Government, educational stakeholders (Government, educational institutions, the media, international institutions, the media, international organizations, financial institutions, and other organizations, financial institutions, and other donors).donors).

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

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