By Doh Bertrand Nua
Students of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC) have been urged to be brave, be able to take risk, think out of the box, and to be innovative once they leave school in order to become excellent entrepreneurs and be part of the decision-making process in the society.
IRIC students pose with Welisane Foundation officials after training
The call was made during a symposium organised by Welisane Foundation on IRIC campus Wednesday 9 December 2020 on the theme “Gender and Entrepreneurship”. It was organised as part of activities within the ongoing 16 days activism to end gender-based violence and gender inequality. Speaking to reporters shortly after the training, the founder of the foundation, Welisane Mokwe Nkeng, explained that being an ex-student of IRIC, she thought it was an opportunity for her to give back to her alma mata by sharing with current students knowledge on contemporary issues related to gender equality and entrepreneurship.
Welisane Mokwe Nkeng, Founder, Welisane Foundation, addressing IRIC students
“We came here to talk to the students especially females to be assertive in the society and how they can be entrepreneurial,” Welisane said. She challenged the students to be able to start something of their own when they leave school if they can’t immediately get jobs in the public sector so as to be self-sufficient and be able to make profit that would enable them to be on the decision-making table. “We realised that young girls and women do not have opportunities to be in the decision-making process, to be leaders and assertive,” Welisane stated, explaining that it motivated their coming to the institution to impart into them the knowledge and skills necessary for them to be social or economic entrepreneurs as well as talk about the importance of gender equality in the world of entrepreneurship.
Participants listening to officials at Symposium
Prof. Machikou N. Ndzesop, moderator of the symposium, revealed that though women make up majority of the population demographically in the Africa continent, they are instead the minority of entrepreneurs. “There’s an inequality in the access to entrepreneurship to women compared to men. About 22% of entrepreneurs in Africa are women despite the fact that they make up the majority of the population,” she revealed. She said the symposium was therefore a forum to identify and explain the reasons for the less representation to young women to the young students.
Prof. Machikou urged students to strive to overcome the difficulties in accessing capital and resources to become entrepreneurs and use their skills to summon courage and take risk to become what they wish to become.
Students following lectures on gender equality, entrepreneurship
Her points were further buttressed by US-based entrepreneur, Njukang Asong, who, challenged the students to be brave, be able to take risk, think out of the box, be innovative in a bid to becoming excellent entrepreneurs. Visibly touched by the works of the foundation, Njukang and his business partners, donated the sum of 1 000 US dollars to support the efforts of the foundation to continue supporting, empowering and inspiring youth, especially young girls and other vulnerable parsons.
Scores of the students who attended the symposium expressed gratitude to the foundation and all the spokespersons as well as ledged to with the skills acquired strive to become entrepreneurs, gender equality advocates once they leave school.
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