The Governors Startup Challenge, the flagship program of Youth Empowerment Program Initiative (YEPI), brings 10 best and brightest entrepreneurs from around the coast region of Kenya to Diani for one week boot camp of intensive training in the areas of business and entrepreneurship, leadership, and community engagement each year. Competitively selected for this innovative program, the Finalist represent the regions emerging generation of most promising social entrepreneurs, a

2018 Governors Startup Challenge Finalist, Brian Were of Begi Bora Limited is making Eco-friendly carriage bags from used baby diapers. Helping to conserve the environment and championing for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. What is the story behind starting your business? I started Begi Bora in August 2017 after the government imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags. I noticed that there was going to be a market niche in terms of carriage

At Youth Empowerment Program Initiative (YEPI), our vision is to enable economic opportunities for young people in Mombasa and Kenya as a whole. One way we do this is through the Governors Startup Challenge (GSC), YEPI's first innovative entrepreneurship ecosystem where young people compete to develop new solution to community challenges. The intense, local competition culminates with the Boot camp, where 10 finalist from the coast region compete and make connections with bot

Just like many of us, Ken has dreams, goals, and plans for the future. He launched the first e-bursary platform in Kenya to help students apply and receive bursaries from any part of the country without needing an inside connection. Read how his mobile application aims to improve education and address issues of bias, discrimination and corruption in government offices. Greetings Ken, nice to meet you. What is the story behind starting your business? I started Kenly Hub in Sep