Kenya: Great minds, great challenges

Inspiring a transformative new generation of leaders who co-create to achieve sustainable, inclusive and future-proof businesses.

Project Brief

The first edition of the Great Minds Challenge, a two-months performance, and process acceleration program, was successfully carried out in Nairobi, Kenya. The program culminated with a three-day high-powered challenge under the theme “The Future Is Now”, taking place from the 19th to the 21st of October 2018. Powered by MasterPeace, the program brought together under one platform a number of innovative global thinkers, thought leaders, scholars, entrepreneurs, and changemakers in order to facilitate the transformation and formation of the future of work for New Generation Leaders of Kenya. It focused on delivering sustainable and future-proof solutions for the companies or organizations these top talents are already working for.

One month prior to the Great Minds Challenge, participants were working with renowned business experts and coaches to develop their impact plans and personal projects. Together with a knowledge partner, The United States International University Africa (USIU-A), a special tool was used to strengthen the impact plan and align it to the company’s vision for sustainability and future-proof solutions.

During the month following the 3-day challenge, all the participants will continue working on the implementation and execution of their impact plans. Further coaching, feedback, dissemination of knowledge and inspiration is continuously offered to accompany the participants to implement their ideas.

The SDG’s #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #9 Industry Innovation and Infrastructure and #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities were key to this project.

Project Context

1. Africa has the fastest-growing and most youthful population in the world, according to AfDB (African Development Bank).
2. Over 40% of the population is under the age of 15, and 20% are between the ages of 15 and 24.
3. 80% of CEOs globally are worried about the availability and mastery of key skills amongst their workforce, according to PWC’s CEOs Survey 2018.

Although opportunities are there, many of Africa’s inhabitants still live in unfortunate conditions where most basic human needs remain inaccessible. With this, Africa stands at a decisive moment in time where it must decide on the future direction that it takes. There is an urgency to empower and inspire young talents within the business environment, who will become today’s New Generation Leaders and the movers of a new era, bringing about a breakthrough for sustainable and purpose-driven businesses with their new mindsets. In this context, MasterPeace Kenya is aiming to advance the capacity and capability of young entrepreneurs and young talents working in the private sector.

Project Outcomes

Twenty participants attended the Great Minds Challenge in 2018. Fifteen of these were top talents working for various participating companies in Nairobi, whereas 5 were Wild Card participants, who went through an application procedure and got chosen to be part of the project because of their unique and innovative social impact ideas for reducing poverty and create employment in marginalized areas.  The programme was run in partnership with various global companies such as KLM and Rabobank (see below for the full list).

Project Impact

Twenty innovative, inclusive and sustainable projects were developed, which will protect the Earth, people and create prosperity. Through the Wild Cards, 5 young social impact entrepreneurs, inspiring young heroes, have gained a chance to begin transforming lives in most difficult areas with their social impact enterprises by creating jobs to counter poverty.  In fact, many of the sparked business ideas are direct possibilities for job creation, as over 90 new opportunities and (direct and indirect) support for 270 families is expected as a result.

The program has proven that with the right tools, skills and talents can be harnessed to boost better businesses and support the society to come up with innovative solutions to most urgent and prevalent recurring challenges like diseases and poverty. The next steps for the Great Minds Challenge are to strengthen the team, diversify the program, and to scale up by offering customized training to MasterPeace Clubs in other African countries (stay tuned for the next edition of the Great Minds Challenge in Morocco!).

Partnering companies:

• Barens Consultancy
• Bidco Africa
• Bowmans Law Firm
• Clarity 4D
• Dow
• Incentro Africa
• Ink Strategy
• KHE
• KLM
• MasterPeace
• Nudge
• Rabobank
• Royal flora Holland
• Sustainable Inclusive Business
• Scopic Africa
• Soulco Kenya
• United States International University-Africa

More information and contact information here.