Nurturing seeds of innovation among Ghanaian youth

The United Nations Develop­ment Programme (UNDP) with funding from the Mastercard Foun­dation is transforming Ghana’s approach to innovation, particu­larly among marginalised youth.

Ghana is blessed with a youth dividend, as about 40 per cent of its population is aged between 15 and 35 (according to the 2021 Population and Housing Cen­sus). The youth have immense potential to drive our economic growth, however young people face a variety of challenges in doing so, including high youth unemployment, currently at 14.7 per cent. This is particularly chal­lenging for those young people who are traditionally marginalised such as young females, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and those from rural communities UNDP’s YAI programme seeks to address this gap by fostering inclusive innovation which em­powers young people, particularly those who are traditionally ex­cluded from the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

UNDP and its partners, such as the National Entrepreneur­ship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), the Ministry of Educa­tion, and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, have so far identified almost 10,000 innovative youth across Gha­na, some of whom have been selected for further support through 26 residential bootcamps where they receive support from experts to further develop their ideas and prototypes, as well as a bespoke Accelerator Programme to help them scale their ventures and drive impactful change in their communities, and a devel­oping network of makerspaces.

“By fostering an environment where the creativity of these atypical innovators is not hin­dered, we believe we can unlock innovative solutions that will contribute to national develop­ment,” said Niloy Banerjee, Res­ident Representative of UNDP in Ghana.

Through its inclusive approach, the programme is seeking out these innovators and equipping them with the tools they need to develop and scale their ideas into sustainable solutions. Allen Anie PhD, UNDP Ghana’s Chief Technical Advisor for YAI, explained, “Our goal is to ensure that innovation is inclusive and accessible, reaching those who are often left behind. By pro­viding these young innovators with the necessary resources and social networks, we aim to scale their initiatives into solutions that can make a real difference in their communities.”

YAI has a target of 70 per cent participation by female innova­tors underlying UNDP’s gender commitment in national develop­ment. African women entrepre­neurs face a $42 billion financing gap, with only 16-20 per cent accessing long-term financing. In Ghana, female entrepreneurs are also eight per cent less likely than men to secure the capital and financial services needed to start or grow their businesses. About 43 per cent of Ghana’s popula­tion resides in rural areas, where limited infrastructure, low liter­acy, and lack of access to capital can pose significant barriers to entrepreneurship. Rural youth face nearly double the unemploy­ment rates of their urban coun­terparts. YAI addresses these and other gaps by providing grants to help young innovators develop, test, and refine their ideas and prototypes.

However, financial support is only part of the solution. YAI recognizes that access to net­works of mentors, investors, and like-minded entrepreneurs is essential for success. Through YAI, young people connect with experienced professionals who help them to evolve their ideas and prototypes into scalable ventures. Training and support are offered in local languages and using culturally relevant materials, to ensure that those with limited English literacy can fully engage with the content.

In Ghana, about eight per cent of the population—face varying degrees of difficulty in carrying out everyday activities due to dis­abilities. Through collaboration with organisations like the Ghana Federation of Disability Organ­isations (GFD), YAI ensures that youth with disabilities are included, by offering specialised training and accessible learning materials tailored to the unique needs of PWDs.

“YAI is a vital step toward in­clusion for persons with disabil­ities. Their unique perspectives are invaluable, and I believe when supported, they can drive signif­icant change in their communi­ties and beyond,” said Rita Kusi Kyeremaa, Executive Director, Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations.

Unlike many innovation pro­grammes that focus on short-term gains, YAI is committed to ensuring that participant-devel­oped solutions are sustainable and scalable and tackle real-world challenges in critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and ed­ucation—areas vital for Ghana’s development–

Source: UNDP

The post Nurturing seeds of innovation among Ghanaian youth appeared first on Ghanaian Times.

Read Full Story