Highlights from Sahara Sparks 2022
Sahara Sparks is a platform that helps to build innovation and technology entrepreneurship ecosystems in Africa. It was launched in 2016 by Sahara Ventures, a group of companies that focus on this area.
Since its establishment, Sahara Sparks has hosted over 300 high-profile speakers, over 20,000 attendees, and over 3000 small businesses, startups, and SMEs.
The theme of this year's Sahara Sparks event was "Unleashing the Potential of Young People in Africa." Discussions about innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship served as tools, as is customary.
The SS22 events took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from October 17th to October 21st. Johari Rotana, Millennium Tower, Seedspace Dar, Protea Hotel Courtyard, and Buni Hub were among the locations involved.
Several replicas were made available for the first time in collaboration with Sahara Ventures. IPF Softwares debuted the "Tanzania Online Payments Service Providers and Gateways Guide" at the event. Briter Bridges published the "Founder's Guide to Fundraising in Tanzania." DigiScope: Tanzania Digital Transformation and Readiness Report was released by the Tanzania Data Lab.
In addition, the Power Learn Project officially launched the "1 Million Developers for Africa" Program in Tanzania. It aims to provide Tanzanian youth with software development skills, which are essential for success in today's technology-driven economy.
During Sahara Sparks 2022's five days, ten topics were discussed. All of them carried the hashtag #PotentialUnleashed22. They were as follows:
Here are some quotes compiled from official Event accounts and generous tweeters who took notes while the events were taking place (Have any we missed? Please drop them in the comments!). If the entire five days of Sahara Sparks 2022 were fully filmed (and made publicly available), there would be more content here. But don't worry, this article summarizes everything.
"We believe the best way to solve a problem is to build a solution around it, and one of the ways is to build sustainable businesses that create employment. That is why at Sahara Sparks we support innovators and entrepreneurs as they are the game changers." - Jumanne Mtambalike, Co-founder & CEO, Sahara Ventures.
"I understand the environment isn't supportive of startups but keep moving and we'll get where we all want to reach technologically. The world isn't waiting for us to catch up with the momentum." - Rtd. Ambassador, Ami Mpungwe.
"Kupitia miradi kama Sahara Sparks, Programu ya Ubunifu iitwayo Funguo iliyo chini ya Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la mipango ya Maendeleo, UNDP itawatambua na kuwawezesha mitaji wabunifu na wajasiriamali kwenda kuendeleza bunifu zao." - Joseph Manirakiza.
"The world is currently struggling with university education because of skill mismatch. We prepare graduates that aren't prepared for the working industry reality." - Dr. Vesa Taatila.
"...There are kids in school who can not read and write and we are talking about digital skills. Think about that." - Agapiti Manday, Co-founder and Executive Director, Tanzania Data Lab (dLab).
"UNDP Tanzania is committed to working alongside the government, development partners, and other stakeholders in leveraging existing and upcoming opportunities in addressing the challenges in the (Tanzanian) innovation ecosystem." - Sergio Valdini.
"There's a large population in the informal sector, we can’t leave them behind & need to think about what digital skills they need." - Diana Ninsiima, Country Director, Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Tanzania.
"Only 52% of Tanzanians over the age of 15 have bank accounts." - Aneth Kasebele, Policy Specialist at the UNCDF.
"The digital economy is growing as we are going to have 300m internet users by 2025, Youths' should be encouraged to exhaust such opportunity." - Ajay Ramasubramaniam, Founder & CEO of Startup Réseau.
"Content creation is one thing, making it user friendly is another thing." - Caryn Khan, Youth Advisor, UNFPA Tanzania.
"The government under the Commission for Science and Technology is supportive of a platform like Sahara Sparks, an event that allows engagement and conversations in the innovation ecosystem." - Amos Nungu, Director General, COSTECH.
"We as academicians have a responsibility to make leaders, it is normally said that leaders are not made but born...I say leaders are made." - Professor Alfred Sife.
"In the emergence of digital transformation, the role of startups is becoming inevitable." - Dr. Hassan Mshinda.
"In developed countries, a startup founder saying he is bootstrapping will tell you, 'I stopped using this car to budget on the fuel' but in Tanzania when someone says he is bootstrapping, even lunch is a problem." - Jumanne Mtambalike.
"Education is a key factor for sustainable development and leadership. It is a cornerstone for the development of a democratic government." - Sari Uusi-Rauva.
"Students in universities should have a habit to learn continuously, learn new skills, and practice them without limiting themselves." - Siaphoro Kishimbo, Director - Human Resources for CRDB Bank Plc.
"On digital skills and employability: ICT is no longer a?nice thing to have. So we need a grasp of the root causes that underpin our current digital divide.
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We need education curriculums and training programs that are nimble, matching the skills in demand.
We need an education curriculum that is nimble, and agile and integrates digital at its core." - Diana Ninsiima.
"The digital economy is dependent on trust. Influencer marketing is a business of trust, love, and belief." - Temidayo.
"Reproductive health education is the right of everyone in today's world. Access to the right education for young people can save them from challenges they encounter." - Hussein Melele, Founder & CEO, Mulika Tanzania.
"The magic number need – 17.9. That's the median age of youth in Tanzania. Young people need to be able to live and work. We can not do the same thing we have been doing because it is not working. We are ready to disrupt." - Jumanne Mtambalike.
“The value of an idea lies in using it." - Ajay Ramasubramaniam.
"We have a generation of young people that are not into lifelong learning, making it difficult for them to keep up with the labor market." - Diana Ninsiima.
"We fix the mindset, we fix the future. Imagine a child seeing a plane from a spoon. The youth has potential. Let us listen to understand, not dismiss." - Idris Sultan.
"Get out there and don't bring the media yet, until you do it correctly." - Naomi Rouse, Director of Programmes, RLabs.
"Kuna utofauti mkubwa kwenye uendeshaji wa kurasa za taasisi na kurasa binafsi za mitandao ya kijamii. Kurasa za taasisi zinahitaji umakini na mkakati katika kuziendesha na kuzisimamia." - Nice Msangi.
"The future is not about solo content creation, you need to create a community or merge with other creators to join forces and work together regardless of how much influence you have." - Sajad Sergio Sadick.
"Only 52% of Tanzanians are banked. 88% don’t have surplus income to deposit at a bank, 50% lack IDs for opening a bank account. Furthermore, the costs are too expensive and don’t justify why people should open bank accounts." - Aneth Kasebele.
"We have to coordinate the private sector to understand what skills are in demand, so we provide training that is needs-based." - Diana Ninsiima.
"Technology is a tool to solve problems, provide prediction, and personalization." - Essa Mohammedali.
"The biggest challenge for young people who use social media is that everyone wants to do the same as the other. This causes many of them to get lost and destroy the meaning of networks." -Detricia Pamba.
"Before you start using social networks, you must ask yourself why you are using them. While you are using it for fun, others are using it to earn income or make money." - Given Edward.
"Muhimu kujiuliza, tunawezaje kufanya ushawishi wenye tija kwenye jamii kwa kutumia kurasa zetu za mitandao ya kijamii? Mitandao inatumika kama njia ya mawasiliano kati yetu, lakini inaweza kutumika kama jukwaa la uhuru wa kujieleza." - Fausta Msokwa.
"I am more focused on information entrepreneurship." - Said Mbonela.
"Rasilimali zilizopo hazitoshelezi kumfikia kila kijana mbunifu, hali hiyo imekuwa ikisababisha baadhi ya vijana wabunifu kulalamika kutowezeshwa ili kuendeleza mawazo yao." - Joseph Manirakiza.
"We need to understand what the startup economy is about; the service sector is contributing so much to our GDP than agriculture and manufacturing." - Dr. Hassan Mshinda.
"Yes, robots are not going to take over Tanzania anytime soon but the software is already doing that. So, if your child is in school studying files management tell him he is going to compete with Google Drive." - Jumanne Mtambalike.
"You can invent alone but you can't innovate alone." - Anonymous.
You can find photos from any or all of the Sahara Sparks 2022 events here. We hope to see you again next year!
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2 年Great. Indeed there is a need for such events where youths can be taught about unleashing their potential. Youths struggle because they don't know what they carry, and that what they carry has value more than gold.