M-Pesa Academy launches entrepreneurship centre
James Wakahiu and Mathew ndung’u
Thika-based Mpesa Foundation Academy has launched a year-long entrepreneurship and leadership training programme for its Form Four leavers.
The institution opened doors of Uongozi Centre to its first batch of 96 scholars who concluded their secondary school last year.
It is owned by Mpesa Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of mobile services provider, Safaricom.
Mpesa Foundation Academy CEO Les Baillie said Safaricom would spend Sh100 million in the project to nurture student’s talents and business acumen in ICT, business development, science, artistry and life skills.
The centre is envisaged to incubate students’ business ideas, introduce them to the work world, broaden their minds and prepare them for leadership.
“We didn’t want to put our students through four years of a good education and then just push them out into the big wide world.
After completing their KCSE exam, most of them spend a year before joining colleges,” he said.
The Foundation has partnered with other organisations including banks and institutions such as Moi University.
The scholars will be visiting African countries especially in East and Central Africa as part of their training in philosophy, literature, politics and religion.
