Nearly two years after receiving the GEW Benin Citizenship Award, Benin’s former Minister of Economy and Finance, Madam Adidjatou Mathys, is stepping up to invest in youth employment all around the country.
The GEW Benin Citizenship Award recognizes the efforts of high-profile people making tremendous contributions to further advance the country’s development. As a result, the latter are made GEW Benin Ambassadors -- advocating for the campaign and connecting the country host to partners and sponsors. In 2012, four recipients were shortlisted and each received trophies from the U.S. Ambassador to Benin.
Last month, Mathys approached the GEW Benin host organization, led by Charles Vidjannagni, and proposed to make this year’s campaign the best-ever youth entrepreneurship event held in the country. She will officially launch the campaign in October through a fundraising event with potential partners and sponsors. As the creation of meaningful employment and enterprise opportunities for young people is one of the most critical challenges to sustainable development in Benin, self-employment must quickly be considered as a career option by young people. To ignite this risk-taker spirit in more youth, and most especially in young females, GEW Benin’s 2014 campaign will include a Student Entrepreneurs Fair as part of its Great Entrepreneurship Festival.
Mathys is committed as the GEW Benin Matron to fulfill this extract from the former U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton’s filmed message supporting GEW and applauding all those involved around the world.
“The Obama Administration is dedicated to boosting entrepreneurship both in the United States and other countries, where talent is widespread, but opportunity often is not. We can’t afford to leave out anyone who has an idea, a dream, an invention or innovation, and the desire to work hard to make that a reality.”
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Charles Vidjannagni is the founder and CEO of FORAM Initiatives, the official GEW host organization in Benin.