Youth interactive platform launched

The Ministry of Youth and ICT has partnered with three information and communication technology entrepreneurial firms to launch an interactive forum hosted on Google.The interactive forum, dubbed “YouthConnekt,” aims at providing the youth, ICT players and anyone with interest in any of the sectors to contribute to the country’s development agenda through debates and interactions.The partners include UNDP, Africa Digital Media Academy, Tigo Rwanda, and HeHe Ltd.Speaking at the launch of the platform, the Minister for Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, said the development was a historic moment in the efforts to expand communication and interactions. “This is historic, it’s a dream come true, we’ve been trying to expand the limits of communication and interaction and we thought that beyond, we’ve been doing interacting on radio, on television, in various meetings, we should really make an advanced use of technology to keep in touch with you,” Nsengimana said.“The intention here is really to be able to engage everyone, all the young people of this country in shaping their own future.”He said the platform will employ avenues of interaction to increase the youth’s contribution to national development. “We want to be able to use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms to stay in touch as we shape our development agenda and increase the contribution of young people to that agenda,” the minister said.The officer in charge of communications at the Youth and ICT ministry, Magnifique Migisha, said the platform will have a practical, result oriented approach and will provide an opportunity for various players to give their ideas and projects. “This will be a bi-monthly programme that will centre on different themes, such as youth employment, entrepreneurship, role of the youth in peace building, environment, sports and culture, reproductive health, drugs abuse, among others,” he said.Auke Lootsma, UNDP Country Director, said the initiative will connect young people to opportunities that exist, especially in the private sector where they can develop their entrepreneurial skills. Welcoming the latest development, kLab General Manager Jovani Ntabgoba said the initiative will act as a learning forum for the participants.“The hangout will speed up sharing of available opportunities for the youth. Rwandan youth will learn from each other’s successes and failures, hence paving way for flawless overall development,” he said.kLab is Rwanda’s first technology innovation and incubation hub. The hangout will be a bi-monthly event taking place on Tuesdays for an hour from 4pm. The next session is due November 26.

National

Youth interactive platform launched