Safaricom’s BLAZE to host youth mentorship summit in Eldoret

Safaricom Director of Consumer Business Unit, Sylvia Mulinge (L), Kenyan YouTuber and social media personality, Shatheyungin and Senior Manager Youth Segment, Marion Njeri and Musician and Rapper Wangechi during the launch of BLAZE at the Michael Joseph Centre.

Safaricom will this Friday kick off a series of countrywide youth empowerment and mentorship summits through its newly launched youth platform, BLAZE where they will inform their youth subscribers aged 10-26 years of Create Your Plan.

Subscribers to BLAZE will benefit from the most innovative communication products and services, including Create Your Plan, a service that allows users to control how much they spend on voice, data and SMS each time they purchase airtime.

Dubbed Be Your Own Boss (B.Y.O.B.), the summits will give youth below 26 years of age access to a selection of mentors succeeding in unconventional fields, with the aim of empowering them with the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to succeed in those professions.

The first summit will be held this Friday, 17th June at the Eldoret Sports Club and will involve mentorship sessions and plenary discussions led by mentors including two of Kenya’s celebrated young businessmen listed among Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Young African Entrepreneurs – Eric Muthomi, CEO of Stawi Foods and Mike Muthiga, CEO of Fatboy Animations.

Award winning entrepreneur Ahmed Abdi, who started out as a matatu tout and is now the Founder and C.E.O of Amana Insurance Brokerage, will speak about dreaming big and building a successful enterprise in a field dominated by foreign-owned firms.

He will be joined by among others FAFA Co-Founder Sylvia Tonui, steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto and techpreneur Trevor Kimenye, Co-Founder and CEO of tech start-up Ongair.

Through the series of summits youth will also get an opportunity to network and audition for the upcoming B.Y.O.B. TV show, which will see 12 contestants compete for a chance to win funding for their businesses.

“We understand that the youth have passions and aspirations that they would like to turn into real careers, and these summits will give them a chance to listen and learn from other young Kenyans who have overcome all sorts of obstacles to succeed. Through B.Y.O.B. they will learn how to create and take advantage of business and employment opportunities, plan their finances and manage the resources they have at their disposal,” said Sylvia Mulinge, Director of Consumer Business – Safaricom.

Entry into the summit will cost Kshs.100 per person, redeemable for airtime or merchandise at the venue.