Applications are now open for the YouthConnekt Africa Awards 2019. The YouthConnekt Africa Awards honor outstanding achievements by young African innovators (ages 16-35). The YouthConnekt Africa Summit is an annual convening that connects youth from across the continent. The 2019 YouthConnekt Africa Summit will provide a platform for all partners involved in youth development to synergize around policies, programs, and also, partnerships that will connect youth for continental transformation. Further,  The third edition of the YouthConnekt Africa (YCA) Summit is set to be held from 9-11 October in Kigali, Rwanda. This year, the summit targets to gather 10,000 youth and high-level delegates to engage, discuss, design, and also,  accelerate youth empowerment efforts at the continent level under the theme of ‘“Boosting an Industrious Young Africa”.

Moreover, the development of this continent resides in your hands. This convening connects youth from across the continent and beyond to engage, design, and also,  accelerate youth empowerment efforts at the continent level.

Africa’s greatest resource is its youth. Yet, this abundant resource has been relatively untapped and facing cross-cutting issues such as limited access to education and finances, deterring health, scarce employment opportunities and low wages, and often excluded from local decision-making. As a result, these challenges, individually and collectively, obstruct the youth from meaningfully contributing to the social, economic and political transformation of their nations and the African continent at large.

Categories

Outstanding African innovators will be awarded as follows:

• Pioneers of Prosperity Award
• Social Innovation Award
• Digital Inclusion Award
• Girls in Innovations Award

The YCA Awards

• 12 Finalists will be to the YCA Summit to attend two days bootcamp and also,  present their projects. Four winners will get the award in a ceremony on 11 October 2019.
• Likewise, One winner will get select from each award categories: economic development, social development, innovative female contribution, and also, digital inclusion.
• Also, the Prize Winners will receive $5000 to help grow their business.

Eligibility

• Open to African innovators between the age of 16 and 35
• The nominee must be a citizen of an African Union state
• Further, the Nominee’s project clearly addresses one of the Awards’ four focus areas
• The nominee must available to attend the YouthConnekt Africa Summit 2019 to participate in the boot camp sessions and Award Ceremony

Application

• Apply to be part of an outstanding young African innovators community.