A JAM SESSION ACCOUNT- ELECTIONS AND IT'S EFFECTS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Over the weekend of February 6^th to 8^th 2015, Ghana hosted hundred of the sub region’s brain boxes of entrepreneurs at GIMPA. What were they here for, TechCamp West Africa.

TECHCAMP WEST AFRICA 2015 - ACCRA

A maiden event and arguably one of an experience, the conference had as its theme; ENTREPRENEURSHIP: ADAPT, EMPOWER, MEASURE. It was intended to bring one hundred young social entrepreneurs from Ghana, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Cote d’ Ivoire to gather and engage in hands-on capacity building, and networking with the region’s leading government, academic, civil society and business experts.

The public-private initiative spearheaded by the US Embassy Ghana and the GhanaThink Foundation was to encourage cross border collaboration, inspire entrepreneurship, and promote increased trade across borders.

Session began with attendees (participants) briefly introducing themselves, what they do and the various countries they represented.

Participants and Leads pushing through discussions in the Elections Jams session.#TechCampWA @cyriacgbogou pic.twitter.com/eUwnAJKD0G
— Kofi Opare (@QwophiCedi) February 7, 2015

Lead panel Seyi Taylor and Cyriac Gbogou opened the discussions by asking participants which countries were having elections in the sub-region and participants’ stated a few. Participants from Liberia pointed out they had their elections the previous year and it was well noted.

I went to Accra for an event called Tech Camp West Africa where I was invited to lead a session on use of tech in elections.
— ST (@seyitaylor) February 8, 2015

Moving forward in the discussion, participants expressed how the period of an election affected their businesses. One of the participants from Liberia stated that, his NGOs main sponsor left the country and haltered all funds that had been agreed to sponsor its programs for the year. This he expressed really affected his organization as one of the programs of the organization was targeted at poverty alleviation and scholarship grants to needy children towards their education.

As they shared their experiences, I became very sad. Africa has 'enjoyed' sit-tight leaders and they've caused us pain.
— ST (@seyitaylor) February 8, 2015

Another participant from Ghana stated that “My opportunity to gain that funding for my organization was declined later after it had been agreed in principle that my application had been approved. The reason, because a prominent politician who was contesting a Member of Parliament seat had come in for a colossal amount to fund his campaign and was considered a priority client”. This participant expressed disappointment because it affected his schedule of operations for the next period.

In CIV, post-election violence meant a complete stop to trade. They couldn't even buy airtime. One entrepreneur operated a call center
— ST (@seyitaylor) February 8, 2015

It seemed unanimous that, in the sub-region, one thing was evident; organizations are tagged to either the ruling government or the opposition party mostly based on perception or at some point your affiliation in society.

In as much as electioneering period affected some entrepreneurship ventures, there were some good news in some aspects as, the period helped some of the participants to explore their entrepreneurship self. 

One of the participants stated that, the elections helped his organization to enforce the reason why one should vote and not accept bribes to induce their decision. They in turn set up a working post where information dissemination made them gain funding from some organizations to support their project. This participant was from Liberia.

Another positive note that was shared in this Jam session was from a member of lead panel who hails from Ivory Coast, stated the election period encouraged him to set up an sms application solely to debunk rumours pertaining to the general elections. This application was designed to create the awareness what that was true and not true running around in the country. During the election day, the app extended its services to providing information on where election materials were available, were not available and to announce violence in an election locality. This he said attracted some funding from corporate bodies.

Some countries have been trying to 'conclude' the electoral process for A WHOLE YEAR. Can you imagine doing this for a year?
— ST (@seyitaylor) February 8, 2015

Revealing during the Jam session was a term in the mobile telephony circles which had similar references in the sub-region. In Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria, it is referred to as FLASH whiles in Togo and Ivory Coast it’s known as BEEP. This is where a main call is stooped after a connection is established and the recipient gets notified and shows as missed call. Interestingly, in Liberia, it depends on the intellectual affiliation level where the somehow educated folks call it flash and the rural folks used beep. This actually drew loud laughs in the room ending in applause. It was news to me and for once I learnt another thing that was general in the sub-region.

In another country. You would flash their number and they would call you back and ask you who to relate the message to. Disaster.
— ST (@seyitaylor) February 8, 2015

It was therefore agreed by both participants and lead panel that, as an entrepreneur in West Africa, you must have a working plan specifically spelling out your strengths especially during an election year so your business isn't affected.

Full Moon Launch - Wear Ghana Stands Out

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It was all hyped on the launch of a brand name in the fashion fraternity here in Ghana.

The campaign was so much driven by social media and to my amazement on that day, it was spectacular the number of persons that turned up at the event at the African Regent Hotel for the launch of Wear Ghana and brainchild of a good friend Awura Abena Agyeman.

It all begun with a 15.11.13 campaign on #Facebook. This stunt in a way, if I may call it so, rose eyebrows especially from mates and colleagues I attended university with as well as other friends in my social circles. As some thought it was my day of getting married, others, thought I was travelling abroad, some also thought I was getting into a new employment. So the question was that, "Yo, what's up on 15.11.13?"

Well I enjoyed the suspense and the triggering of all that they thought was associated to this date....my response to them was "I will keep you posted and update you all when the time is near"

Fast-forward to my theme for this post, so after all the euphoria drawn around this date, it was time to reveal the 'Secret'.... it was the launch of a Brand name that I believe will rock the fashion industry in the coming years #WearGhana.

The Full Moon on Wear Ghana Launch

Now after everything as per the program of the launch had been completed, it was time to network, buy the designs on display, meet up with friends on all the various platform for which the program was advertised. People reconnected especially me, I happened to reconnect with a friend I had during my days as a National Service person at Hohoe Ghana Commercial Bank. He was at Barclays bank, I had not seen him after his wedding four years ago and it was a great occasion to met him once again. We re-lived our exploits on weekends, the fun times and everything that made our period as friends there a great one.

Well the hall way to and from the shop where most of the interactions went on was so packed that, the air-conditioned hallway was very hot and I begun sweating...yes everybody knows that I sweat profusely with the slightest heat. So I took a stroll out to stand in-front of the hotel to catch some fresh air.

Immediately I was out, I raised my head up, and a beautiful spectacle gripped my sight, it immediately dawned on me that 'Today is definitely the perfect day for Debbie ( as I affectionately call her) to launch her Brand'.

The rest is history and the day ended with lots of fun that will surely for a long time to come be remembered as a great day to be proud of.




So before I end this blog here is a Public Service Announcement (PSA) from Wear Ghana : Be sure to visit the Wear Ghana pop-up shop inside the African Regent Hotel from now till November 27th, 2013 to grab that special outfit for the upcoming festive season. You can also talk to our sales team there or pick up a call card to order something truly exclusive. At Wear Ghana, we prioritize orders, because we like for our outfits to match and accentuate the personalities of our clients. You are Unique. Your Outfit should be too. Wear Ghana #StandOut

For more information and orders, Contact Wear Ghana by clicking on this link.

Here are a few of the designs from Wear Ghana : 

My First Book Launch Attendance

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I have always liked reading and as we all know, knowledge is power.
I was invited by my good friend Bright to attend a program. It was a book launch event. I accepted the request and bookmarked the date so it didn't pass me by.
The day of the event came and I was there to observe. I was a little late.
The program was very precise and straight to the point. The chairman for the event was Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo.
His chairmanship response was so on point and that showcased his passion and zeal for entreprenuership to thrive on our economy and country as a whole.

He interlaced his speech with the seasons and centurion times with its accompanying state of development. The age and it's entrepreneurship ventures at the time, using Kwame Nkrumah's era of vision and ideologies.

He is one entrepreneur I really respect and admire because he has the VIM vibe and desire to see a lot of people decide and be entrepreneurs.

Then came the main speaker for the event. She was in the person of Mrs. Hannah Armo Haimson who is the HR Director of NBSSI. Her speech was spot on and she shared more light on the ventures that the NBSSI were into. She later delved into the reason and motive for the book as well as some excepts  of the book. She later made a great assertion that, " When the last entrepreneur dies, the last man dies" taking a cue from "When the last tree dies, the last man dies".

Comments were made from the chairman where he conducted a few illustrations of us as a people using our left side imaginative brain of thinking than we using the right to help us reach higher heights. He mentioned situations where he made various interventions to push entrepreneurship dreams by exposing them to the general public but to no avail. He conducted many of those that some of the audience had wrong hence confirming his sentiments.

Another observation i encountered was that of the invited guest not showing up after confirming and promising to be there. One of those was the minister of Youth & Sports, Elvis Ankrah, Dr. Gifty Anti and a few more for which some funny reasons were given therefore not worthy of me putting up in this post.

The book launch proper started and the procedure was an open bid then. People made very meaningful bids and raised a very respectable contribution to the young writer. In as much as this was going on, we we enjoying some sweet melodies from a pianist brought to spice up things in the hall. It was such soothing especially as these melodies were from home. This made a lot of people in the hall got acquainted to that as well.

It was an experience and I enjoyed every session of it. I made a few new friends, networking and acquaintances during the refreshment session.

The next thing was to find my way home to call it a day.

Book Tittle : THE STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR

Author :        Mary Ayisi

Copies can be attained in all the major bookshops in the country. Grab a copy and trust me the book is full of knowledge worth attaining and sharing.