Global Entrepreneurship Week 2008, Africa Forums

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2008, have launched forums to continue the conversation after the week. There is a dedicated section for African Entrepreneurs.

We wrote about the event several months ago, in June to be Exact. However the South African page for the event has not changed since i registered back then. A total of 7 Activities are listed on the events page for South Africa, personally i feel the the effort by the hosts Endeavour were disappointing. About the only press Global Entrepreneurship week had in South Africa was inclusion in a Blue Catalyst Email.

Compare that to the 5th most active country by Activities, Mexico with 157 Activities listed for the week and Only 63 partner organizations. That’s +- 2.5 Activities organized by each partner organization, while South Africa had 50 partners listed an 7 Activities, for a total of +-0.14 Activities by each partner organization.  We can safely say that GEW 2008, was a non event here in South Africa.

The question i ask, why were the many government initiatives as well as private initiatives to promote entrepreneurship not part of the week? Why weren’t all the major universities hosting entrepreneurship workshops? Why haven’t we seen it in the press? A massive failure if you ask me. In Nigeria, they held the Youth Entrepreneurship Awards, was anything like that planned for South Africa?

Let’s hope next year GEW is more successful here in South Africa, and we actually see it achieve the goal of promoting entrepreneurship amongst youth.

Until then, have a look at the Unleashing Idea’s Forum for Africa.

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