Hamisi Ngalula Kakese shares lessons from running iPhone Congo in Lubumbashi
Many young graduates in DR Congo struggle to find work, and some are turning to their own businesses instead.
In Lubumbashi, in Haut-Katanga province, Hamisi Ngalula Kakese runs iPhone Congo, a smartphone business, after choosing entrepreneurship over waiting for a job. Radio Okapi reports that he is now sharing the obstacles he faced and the lessons he took from building the company.
Each year thousands of graduates enter the job market in DR Congo, but many struggle to find a first job because of a lack of opportunities, employer demands and no work experience. The report says that a lack of funding, insufficient preparation and little knowledge of the market are among the main difficulties facing young entrepreneurs.
The report argues that support for young people, including project preparation, market knowledge, financial management and perseverance, can help a business last. It concludes that the wider challenge is to help young people keep their ventures going, not only to encourage them to start.
Why it mattersYoung Congolese graduates who want to start businesses face shortages of funding and market knowledge, and the report calls for support to help their ventures last.