This archive report was first published on 25 June 2021.
Published on June 25, 2021, a human rights activist's words still resonate today: 'I can never be what I ought to be, until you are what you ought to be.' Martin Luther King Jr.'s quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity and the importance of collective efforts to achieve individual or common goals.
Applying this principle to societal problems reveals a crucial truth: every process, like a car, factory, or highway, needs an outlet to function smoothly. Without one, we experience congestion and chaos.
Take the case of youth unemployment and the failure of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). These challenges can be tackled using the ecosystem approach.
Thousands of young people, equipped with quality technical training, lack an exit strategy. Meanwhile, hundreds of MSMEs face paralysis due to a lack of connection to a bigger whole. This is akin to a badly designed engine, factory, or superhighway, resulting in clog, congestion, and blockage in employment and enterprise.
The solution lies in creating linkages to an ecosystem designed to support the youth and MSMEs. For the youth, this connection should occur at the beginning, even before enrolling in college.
For instance, a government Technical Vocational and Training Institution (TVET) can have a sustainable exit strategy for their carpentry graduates by retaining them to fabricate products or provide services to the government.
For MSMEs, a critical ecosystem for success is through financial institutions. While banks may have money to lend, they often stop at providing financial literacy and financing, neglecting the need for market access. By networking multiple businesses, banks can catalyze local partnerships and growth.
As the Managing Director at Apprentice Job Work Africa, the writer emphasizes the importance of an ecosystem approach in creating jobs.
