Entrepreneurship has been tagged as the driver of developing economies, of which Ghana is one. Ghana has seen an upsurge of micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs), and this has changed the face of business, infusing entrepreneurship into virtually every sector of the economy. It is for this reason that the Ashesi Business Administration Department initiated the Ashesi Junior Entrepreneurs Network (AJEN), to create a network of Ghanaian youth who will be exposed to the basics of entrepreneurship, ethics and integrity.
The AJEN 2013 Summer Camp is a week long summer camp for senior high school students between the ages of 15 and 20, with an immense interest in entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. The maiden edition of this camp is scheduled to take place between the 2nd and 9th of June 2013 at Ashesi’s Berekuso campus. Students participating in this camp will be exposed to the concept of entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship, be taken through an “Entrepreneurship 101” class, become ambassadors of the major partners of the camp, and be a part of a network of young entrepreneurs groomed to spearhead change in the business sector and governance in Ghana, and Africa as a whole.
Syllabus and course material for this camp is put together by the Ashesi’s Business Administration (BA) Department faculty, to be facilitated by 10 Ashesi students. The facilitators are trained in various aspects of the syllabus by faculty members who are scholars and practitioners in the various subject areas. The camp will be executed under the supervision of 4 Ashesi student camp coordinators and 2 BA Department faculty.
The course content covers basics of Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship; Ethics, Integrity and Leadership; Idea Generation, Conceptualization, Feasibility, Raising Capital and Revenue Modeling, Business, Market and Strategy, and Business Etiquette; Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills; and Communication and Presentation Skills.
Participants, put in groups of 4 and 5, will be expected to formulate business plans for business ideas they generate by applying concepts and theories they are exposed to. The business plans will be presented to potential investors at a climax event on the 7th day of the camp, the three top teams with creative and feasible business plans will be awarded.
To ensure a strong network and promote the sharing of ideas, 41 students will be participating in this year’s camp, from 16 Senior High Schools around the country. In selecting these participants, 25 institutions were contacted based on the number of 1st and 2nd class public and private second cycle institutions existing in the country. This random selection was done using a list of high schools developed by the West African Examination Council, WAEC, for the Basic Education Certificate Examination, BECE candidates.
Second cycle institutions involved in this year’s camp include, Labone Senior High, St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High, Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High, Achimota School, Prempeh College, St. Monica’s Girls Senior High, St. Roses’ Girls’ Senior High, Osbert Senior High School, Bishop Herman Senior High, Archbishop Porter Girls’ Senior High, Mfantsiman Girls’ High School, St. Charles Seminary/ Senior High, Bawku Senior High, St. Francis Xavier Junior Seminary and Notre Dame Seminary/ Senior High.
Partners of this innovative camp are Ashesi University College, Tigo, Antrak Air as the main sponsors, and Avis Rent-a-Car, Elikem Nutifafa Kunyehia, Ohene Kwaku Bonsu, Burro Brand, Coca Cola Bottling Company Ghana, Sunridge Company Ltd (Safina water), Pens and Plastics Gh Ltd, Kingdom Books and Stationery and Google Ghana. Media partners include, Citi FM, Joy FM, Business World Magazine, TV3, Metro TV and Viasat 1.
It is expected that after this 8 day camp, participants will be able to develop business plans for businesses that they will want to set up and coach people in their communities to do same. Together, we will change positively, the future of Ghana and of Africa.