March 10, 2020 – The Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) and Gemini Enterprises Africa are pleased to announce the renewal of their partnership to promote youth entrepreneurship in South Sudan.
Gemini Enterprises Africa was founded by the Egyptian international businessman Naguib Sawiris to promote youth entrepreneurship in Africa. Gemini first joined forces with WPDI in 2018 when we decided to strengthen the economic dimension of our programs and bring a more comprehensive response to the challenges facing South Sudan. Indeed, suffering from decades of conflicts and a mostly extractive economy yielding too few jobs in the private sector, South Sudanese youths seek opportunities to improve their livelihoods. Working hand in hand with Gemini Enterprises Africa, we have been able to boost our groundbreaking program, the Business Bootcamp, through which we provide trainings in entrepreneurship to dozens of South Sudanese youths across the country’s Equatorias region, and to incubate 13 actual businesses created by WPDI-trained youths.
The assistance of Gemini Enterprises Africa has been invaluable not only to help finance projects designed by aspiring entrepreneurs but also to monitor the early stages of the businesses thus established, ensuring their viability and profitability. As Adly Thoma, the Executive Chairman and CEO of Gemini Enterprises Africa notes, “I am honored to witness our partnership renewal with WPDI for the 3rd consecutive year. We do believe, at Gemini Enterprises Africa, that our impact on South Sudanese youth is our source of pride. We are fostering a collaborative environment with WPDI that not only offers capacity building & business awareness to the new generation, but also creates revenue generating projects to maintain economic sustainability. Our focus started in Juba being the capital, but reached out to Yambio, Torit, Nimule and Kapoeta North & South. This year, we are looking forward for impacting more counties in the Equatorias region through our newly joint program.”
At a crucial time when the country leaders have reached a peace agreement that everyone hopes will open a new era of stability, the renewal of our partnership with Gemini Enterprises Africa sends a positive message to the youths of South Sudan. It signals that they are ready to embark on a better, more sustainable, future for themselves and their communities. As Angelo, a young man from the new generation of South Sudanese entrepreneurs that we support said, “I hope to create job opportunities for other youths, benefit my employees, and fight hunger in the community.” Angelo’s dreams are the dreams of a nation that Gemini Enterprises Africa and WPDI are committed to help fulfil.
