Serving Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs with Passion and Skill

Ugandan, Joel Bamwise has always been passionate about entrepreneurship. His love for entrepreneurship led him to pursue a Master of Business administration even after dedicating years to studying law. This passion is also a key factor behind his various business ventures and his focus on entrepreneurship training for Africa’s young people.

Joel has co-founded various companies and led projects like Implementers Uganda, the NGO that inspires and empowers young people with leadership entrepreneurship and life skills.

He is also the Co-Founder & CEO of SpinAfrica a social enterprise that supports African entrepreneurs and is leading an initiative that is creating employment for smallholder farmers. 

Entrepreneurship is not Joel’s only passion, his love for his African content is also deep. He believes that Africa’s young, dynamic population with its untapped potential is deserving of support on multiple levels. 

Given his background, it was only natural for Joel to get involved in the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs – Africa (CAYE Africa) network. The network was formed by young entrepreneurs with the support of the Commonwealth Youth Programme and works to strengthen and support young entrepreneurs in Africa.

As the Network Coordinator for this continental league of young entrepreneurs and African-recognized organizations, Joel has the opportunity to do what he loves. He believes that  CAYE Africa opens up every young entrepreneur’s world to experience the best of the continent. He notes that “Entrepreneurs have a chance to scale their business by finding and forging easy collaborations with established entrepreneurs from other countries.” he added that entrepreneurs also benefit from learning sessions and market linkages through the network’s quarterly online masterclasses and events. 

Being the Coordinator of CAYE Africa has not been without its challenges, though. Joel has had to balance the Network’s strategic goals with the individual ambitions that arise at times. He says his approach is to be a neutral leader who is committed to the strategic direction of the organization rather than to any political or selfish ambitions. He is pleased that working alongside the Commonwealth Secretariat, CAYE Africa has attracted fair-minded volunteers who have charted a new road map for the network over the last twelve months. 

The CAYE Africa leadership team of five is comprised of Sheriff Ghami from Ghana, Olalekan Oshunkoya from Nigeria, Nancy Amunga from Kenya, Chola Mbuyoti from Zambia, Gonaya Sethora from Botswana. 

Under their leadership, the association has drafted the CAYE Africa Charter 2022 which outlines the rights and duties of the Network. This charter has infused new and innovative thinking into the Network. Despite this achievement, the leadership team wants even more for Africa’s young entrepreneurs. For example, they plan to push for innovative partnerships that offer access to financing to CAYE Africa’s members. 

When asked how young African entrepreneurs can take charge of their future, as stated in the theme for Commonwealth Youth Forum  2022, Joel remarks: “Entrepreneurs should affirm their stand as not being beggers but rather value givers.” He notes that  entrepreneurship can create millions of jobs, but the young people must be brave enough to build big enterprises with excellence and focus on long-term strategies rather than mere survival.”

You can find out more about CAYE Africa here and join the network by completing the application form here.

Photo Credits: Joel Bamwise

About Precious Obiabunmo: My interests lie in literacy, youth and women empowerment. My love for reading and writing led me into creating a blog and write for other brands. I also have a podcast where I share tips and experiences that will help campus students launch their careers. Currently, I work as a content creator and social media manager. I hope to head the Communications team of a tech startup someday.