Kickstart Initiative, a brainchild of the International Breweries Foundation, the corporate social responsibility(CSR) arm of International Breweries Plc, awarded a combined sum of N60 million to 50 budding entrepreneurs at the seventh edition of the initiative.
This is, in addition to 330 young entrepreneurs, trained by IBPLC in the same year.
The initiative is aimed at promoting and empowering youths in Nigeria between the ages of 18 to 35 years to embrace entrepreneurship through intensive business training, mentorship, and the award of grants to kickstart their business ideas.
The kickstart initiative cut across different sectors of the economy including manufacturing, agriculture, modular retailing, technology, circular packaging (recycling), water stewardship, and renewable energy.
The vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by Senator Babafemi Ojudu, at the event, noted the critical nature and immense value of the Kickstart Initiative to Nigeria.
According to Osinbajo, “This is a very important and creative initiative; it is of immense value to this country and humanity. I encourage those who benefit from it because it is through entrepreneurial activities like Kickstart that Nigeria can become great. There is a limit to the job government and its agencies can provide. Our youths can only be engaged through the collaboration of the private sector and the government to empower them for wealth creation and nation-building.”
Managing director, International Breweries, Hugo Rocha stated that, “the idea behind Kickstart is to raise entrepreneurs with thriving businesses who will become employers of labour themselves, thereby acting as agents for taking other people out of the unemployment market in the country.
“The success stories we have recorded over the years inspire us to do more. Kickstart is an intervention that contributes to Goal one (no Poverty) and Goal eight (Decent Work and Economic Growth) of UNSDGs.”
Highlighting the impact of Kickstart over the years, the chairman of the advisory board, International Breweries Foundation, Peter Bamkole, reiterated the foundation’s commitment to youth empowerment in Nigeria, saying, “We have remained committed to the social investment scheme because we believe in the potential of the average Nigerian youth.”
The ninister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo, added that “this seventh edition of Kickstart could not have come at a better time because I am sure you saw the report released just a few days ago that we have 133 million poor Nigerians. This is the time for us to put on our thinking cap and begin to think out of the box on how to address this very serious problem of unemployment in the country.”
Legal and corporate affairs director, International Breweries, Temitope Oguntokun reiterated the importance of the initiative to the organization, saying, “so far, our Kickstart scheme has positively impacted 1,608 direct and more than 3,000 indirect beneficiaries. With an investment of over N600 million in seven years and the creation of 571 jobs, our foundation has been empowering youths with intensive business training, and access to capital through grants and mentorship that ensures our awardees are supported to run sustainable businesses.”
