A new fellowship programme has been set up to cultivate the spirit of entrepreneurship among students in East Africa. The Inter-region Economic Network (IREN), in partnership with Building Opportunities on Student Talent (BOOST) Fellowship, a leading youth aligned, non-profit organisation in Zimbabwe signed an agreement in May 2009 to establish the Boost Fellowship programme in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

The programme starts next month. Based in Zimbabwe, Boost Fellowship is an initiative for economic empowerment of young people in Sub-Saharan Africa aged between 13-30, according, Ms Judith Grace Auma, the coordinator of the programme in the region. "The programme is designed to cultivate the next generation of entrepreneurial innovators, financial and managerial leaders to help shape a successful future for their respective countries and continent," Ms Auma said in a recent press release.

She said the Boost Fellowship would not only help African countries improve youth productivity and competitiveness but also enable the youth to transform youth unemployment, underemployment and marginalisation into an opportunity for wealth creation and social improvement. This is done by helping promising young people start viable social businesses backed by manageable micro loans. "Education, once seen as the undisputed gateway to employment, no longer looks certain. Unemployment is higher amongst the youth with higher education attainment," she said.

She said many young people are inadequately prepared for the opportunities and challenges of the world beyond the classroom.

"Boost compliments students' academic experience by assisting them make effective transition from the classroom to life outside the classroom hence making them become productive, responsible and willing participatory global citizens," she explained.