Akilah Students Participate in International YouthConnekt Africa Summit

Akilah Information Systems Student Sandrine Sangwa, third from left, joined prominent panelists to discuss how youth can drive the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Akilah students and staff we represented in great numbers when Rwanda’s Ministry of Youth and ICT hosted the third YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Kigali from July 19–21.

The conference brought together 3,000 youth delegates from 90 different countries, policymakers, business leaders, international experts, and world-renowned entrepreneurs under one common goal: securing jobs, inclusion, and empowerment for Africa’s youth.

Through interactive sessions, debates, and panels, participants explored ways to realize the potential of African youth through jobs and innovation, technology, partnerships, and policies.

“We need to create 50 million jobs for youth across Africa by 2020,”said Minister of Youth and ICT Jean Philbert Nsengimana. As the driving force behind the summit, Nsengimana encouraged delegates to bring forward tangible commitments to develop jobs, innovation, and entrepreneurship for youth across Africa.

More than two dozen Akilah students participated in the conference.

Rwanda President Paul Kagame is well-known as a champion of youth and emphasized their importance in driving Africa forward during his keynote speech:

“Africa has a lot of value to offer, beginning with our people and you, the youth … Africa’s prosperity will be built through patient work and strong commitment by us, ourselves. African youth need to continue to be modern African youth, nothing else. You own our collective future through technology and entrepreneurship, and above all our dignity.”

Akilah on the front line

As representatives of youth driving Rwanda and Africa forward, more than two dozen Akilah students participated in the summit as panelists, “hackers,” attendees, and conference hostesses.

Akilah Information Systems student Sandrine Sangwa was one of the speakers in a panel discussion about how youth can drive the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Other panelists included Miss Geek Africa Ruth Waiganjo, Regional Director of UNDP Lamin M. Manneh, and Liberian Minister of Youth and Sport Saah Charles N’Tow. Sandrine developed a mobile application that helps Rwandans living with disabilities communicate.

“As girls in STEM, we need mentors and role models who can inspire us,” said Akilah Information Systems student Parfaite Wiria.

“It was such a great experience to meet experts from all over Africa and share our ideas. I’m really learning a lot, expanding my network, and getting so many new ideas,” Sandrine said.

Akilah collaborated with Girl Effect Rwanda and other partners to host the interactive Connekted Girls session. The session presented four inspirational women speakers, who shared their own career experiences and provided recommendations for placing girls and women at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation.

“As girls in STEM, we need mentors and role models who can inspire us through their accomplishments and encourage us to keep improving,” said Akilah Information Systems student Parfaite Wiria to the crowd in reaction to a talk from Rwanda’s first and only female pilot, Esther Mbabazi.

Another Akilah Information Systems student, Grace Evra, took part in a two-day green hackathon with other young techies from all over Africa. During the hackathon, Hack The Future,youth came up with innovative and sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, such as clean water and renewable energy.

Big commitments, big dreams

Jack Ma, founder of the Asian e-commerce platform Alibaba and Asia’s richest man, headlined the summit. Ma expressed how moved he was by the inspiration, passion, and hope at the summit — and in Rwanda.

“I want to thank you and Rwanda for inviting me to come to Africa for the first time. Africa is inspiring me. Africa is the hope and solution for global sustainable economy. And not least, it is the hope and solution for an inclusive economy that the world needs.”

Ma is the epitome of turning failure into success. After several failed attempts to attend university and secure employment, Ma founded Asia’s biggest e-commerce platform out of his apartment 18 years ago. Today he is one of the most accomplished tech entrepreneurs in the world.

His message to youth and the young entrepreneurs in the room was clear: “No matter how much knowledge you have, it’s never enough. We must always continue to learn. The best knowledge I have is how to face failure. Learn how people failed and managed to solve their failure. That’s what will make you grow.”

The summit focused on strategies to realize the potential of Africa’s youth.

Ma announced several commitments to support growth and innovation, including a commitment to establish a $10 million entrepreneurship fund, which will help African entrepreneurs follow their business dreams.

In the closing remarks, Nsengimana set the direction for the future.

“We know now where the 50 million jobs by 2020 will come from: from agriculture, the internet, and innovative solutions. More importantly, we also know the formula of success, which is leadership, technology, entrepreneurship — all with youth inside. With that formula, we can achieve speed and scale at once, challenging the traditional thought that if you want to go fast, go alone, and if you want to go far, go together. We will go together, and we will go fast.”