Focus on young entrepreneurs

A WEEKLONG global initiative to encourage and foster the entrepreneurial spirit among the country's youth is being rolled out in Bahrain by members of the Young Arab Leaders (YAL) next month.

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010 (GEW) is being organised from November 21 to 27 to reach budding entrepreneurs aspiring for a career in business.

The young Bahrainis will join the worldwide movement that millions will join in their respective countries to generate new ideas and to seek better ways of doing things.

YAL hopes to inspire, connect and motivate youngsters who will be provided with opportunities to meet, interact and associate with other successful young Bahraini industrialists.

Mariam Al Mannai, executive manager of YAL Bahrain, said the attempt was to use different channels to get the entire community involved. She said: "Our attempt is to use education, leadership and entrepreneurship as a means to combat unemployment that is facing the Arab world today.

"GEW is part of our mentorship and inspirational programmes that is less theoretical and more practical in nature. It is a global event and we are joining the bandwagon to put together interesting and different events aimed at making a difference.

"We have 29 members in Bahrain in different executive positions including CEOs, managing directors or business owners. This is an attempt to give back to the community and build the next generation; give young people abilities and skills that may not be provided to them through universities and schools.

"We hope the week full of inspiring speeches and interaction with business leaders will also result in offers of jobs and internship opportunities."

Activities planned include 'Mentorship Madness Dinner' on November 21, where participants get to meet with as many successful business persons as possible around a round table. Organisers hope that the young people will end the evening by connecting with a mentor whom they can communicate with in the future.

This will be followed by 'CEO for a day!' on November 23. The event is aimed at linking young entrepreneurs trying to start their own business or expand their small enterprises with other similar companies. Participants will get an opportunity to meet the top management as well as understand day-to-day operations.

Mariam added: "Many people want to become an entrepreneur just because they get to be the boss but they do not realise that there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. In this event they get to learn the fun part of being a boss as well as understand the difficulties."

'Start up Circuit' is the next event on November 24 that introduces prospective entrepreneurs to different government bodies and their officials who will guide them regarding the paperwork and procedures necessary to start a business and raise funds.

One of the region's top entrepreneurs, Dr Nayef Al Muttawa, CEO and founder of Tashkeel Media Group, Kuwait, will give a talk on the challenges today's entrepreneurs face.

YAL is an independent not-for-profit organisation that aims to develop the Arab youth and create a generation of leaders through initiatives in a myriad of sectors and disciplines; mainly in leadership development, entrepreneurship and education. Including Bahrain the organisation has offices in nine Arab countries - Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar and UAE.

Email mariam@yalbahrain.org for more information.