East African Business Week

Kampala, Uganda-The Young Achievers' Awards (YAA) nominations that reward innovation and excellence of the youths have commenced around the country.
The awards that are held annually to inspire the young generation to work harder and be innovative were officially launched by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
Kyambadde said that the population of Uganda is becoming increasingly younger with over 61% being children therefore calling for a need for immediate action.
"Such awards are a motivational tool that redirects the young people towards improved productivity and contributing to the economic development of the country," Kyambadde explained.
She noted that most of the successful people world over embarked on their careers while still young urging young people to take up the lead. "Government has created a Directorate of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Ministry of trade to lay emphasis on aiding youth groups in the country," Kyambadde added.
The Director of Tetea Uganda Awel Uwihanganye who organized the awards said that this year's awards will focus more on rewarding young people than being competitive like the previous ones.
"We shall not have any overall winner in each category but we shall consider five winners in each category to reward more people," Uwihanganye said. "The awards stand as a platform to inspire innovation and excellence while show casing youth enterprise in the country."
Uwihanganye revealed that they have broadened further the wards to include special category that comprises of the East African, Heroes and Lifetime Achievement categories.
"The East African Young Achiever Award will recognize one individual from each of the five East African Countries and will be nominated by their respective Chambers of Commerce," Uwihanganye said.
Maurice Kirya who scrapped the entertainment award last year sad that appreciating one's efforts motivate him of her to struggle further. "Such awards are a stepping stone for young people to strive higher and sustain their ventures after recognition,"Kirya noted.
To qualify for the awards one can nominate him or her self or be nominated by another person in specific categories. "For the case of the media category, each media house will be requested to identify nominees for this year that will compete will others," Uwihanganye added.
The awards nominations will take a period of two months after which the awards ceremony will be held at the beginning of December.