Ghetto Youth Entrepreneurship
The International Labor Organisation estimates about 88 million youth are unemployed in the world. This is 47% of the total of 186 million unemployed. One billion people will become of working age within the next decade. At the same time the World Bank concludes that the vast majority of people who escape from poverty do so by starting their own business.
Research shows that youth entrepreneurship can only exist if potential youth entrepreneurs have access to more than (micro-)credit. They also need to know how to manage a group, finances, acquisition and marketing. In order to promote entrepreneurship skills training and business counseling are essential. UpToYouToo believes training youth self-help groups in order to become economically viable is a key component of the task to reach MDG 1; halving poverty by 2015. 2006 marked the 3rd year in which UpToYouToo supported Youth Initiatives Kenya financially and strategically.
Mainstreaming of Ghetto Entertainment
UNECA research has shown that Africa generates only 0.4% of global information and entertainment content on the web and mass communication outlets. If South Africa's contribution is excluded, the figure is only 0.02%. There is a need for Africa to export information and knowledge; to participate and promote African cultural heritage, including the film sector and music industry.
Mainstreaming African content in global entertainment and audiovisual industries is about getting Africa represented in a highly Anglo-American domain. UpToYouToo sees an overlap in content mainstreaming and connecting youth worldwide. Ragz2Records Studios was founded to serve artists from the ghettos whilst becoming financially independent by producing commercials for companies.
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