Unlocking the innovative potential of the African Teenager.
The Problem Solvers Initiative (PSI) is a Faith-Driven platform that uses LIF.E (Lifeskills & Entrepreneurship) experiences to empower teenagers between the ages of 15 – 19yrs to create lasting legacies (Values they live by; Value they’ll live behind) PSI is an initiative of Wikitabu Publishers Ltd. The program combines practical entrepreneurship sessions with experiential lifeskills and design thinking to deliver a unique learning experience that is relevant, relational and highly memorable.
The Problem:
IDENTITY
100% of teenagers will experience a form of identity crisis during their high school years.
UNEMPLOYMENT
4 out of 10 teenagers will graduate from high school and proceed for tertiary education, however, only 1 out of the 4 is assured of a formal job.
UNEMPLOYABILITY
1 out of every 10 teenagers who walks into high school drops out of school and 6 out of the 10 who do complete high school won’t proceed to any tertiary school.
Our Solution:
LIFESKILLS
World Health Organization (WHO) inspired.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Pitch ready in 11 weeks
COMMUNITIES
Horizontal (Peer-to-peer) and Vertical
(mentor-mentee)
Our Delivery Model:
Our products focus on three key areas; Entrepreneurship, Lifeskills and Design thinking. After comprehensive pilot programs, a clear approach that allows participants to obtain the greatest value from each LIF.E session stands out. We intend on providing LIF.E sessions to various groups of youth from varied backgrounds and (in the near future) provide venture funds for those with ideas worth funding.
IGN8
A free 1-day pitching experience igniting their passion for LIF.E
ACCLER8
An 11-session learning experience accelerating their understanding of LIF.E
CELEBR8
A 1-day expression experience celebrating their progress in LIF.E
INCUB8
A lifetime of formation experiences incubating their ideas about LIF.E
Africa has a population of almost 200 million people aged between 15 and 24. This category makes up 40% of the workforce, and 60% of the unemployed active labour force. This number is expected to double by 2045, bringing a big challenge on African Economies since high youth unemployment is an impending threat to stability in Africa. This is a problem that the continent must address to avert uprising and therefore maintain peace to attract investment and create wealth and the much needed employment.
“Youth Employment.” Youth Employment | The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), www.fke-kenya.org/policy-issues/youth-employment. Accessed 25 June 2023.
My view, is that for Kenya’s youth to benefit from the Big Four Agenda and other investments in infrastructure development, we will need to inculcate a culture of self-dependency in a critical mass of the youth demographic. There needs to be a shift from the historical socialization of young people that education will position them to get well-paying jobs. Now, more and more, we need to make them understand that education ought to prepare them to create jobs by harnessing their creativity, starting with small start-ups that the government and its agencies can hand-hold to achieve scale.
Mr. Kenneth Mwige
Director-General of the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat.