The event, Banjul +10, on the theme ‘10 Years Implementation of the African Youth Charter: Accelerating Youth Development in Africa’ was organized by the African Union Commission (AUC). GESCI organized a side event to present its AKE – Creative Media Venture program. It also made recommendations for the text being prepared for the next Youth Charter:

1. It is crucial that Governments invest heavily in TVET with new digital technologies in all disciplines as traditional jobs increasingly utilise technology
2. A spirit of enterprise and real time start-up supports must infuse all skills development courses and programmes. A few lectures and talking about entrepreneurialism does not make a young business person. Entrepreneurialism is a practical activity where the key learnings come by “doing it”.
3. Coordinated supports must be provided by different Ministries of Government  and their organisations in order to:
   • provide space/accommodation for the start-up,
   • some seed money or investment money
   • access to business mentorship
   • equipment grant
   • tax relief
   • tax-breaks when new people are employed
4. Countries must support the development of the cultural Industries by offering a course like AKE which integrates and applies digital technologies to culture and the creative arts to create new consumer products and services both for entertainment and business.

GESCI’s AKE-Creative Media venture programme builds African artists’ digital multi-media and entrepreneurial skills that lead on to the creation of enterprises in the cultural industry. It is a first in the trialling and development of a new integrated model for skills and enterprise development in the creative digital media sector in Africa. AKE is fully funded by the government of Finland. Learn more about 'AKE-Creative Media Venture' View what AKE participants produced in 2013-2015
Sound of the City
Child soldiers http://www.au.int/en/newsevents/30351/commemoration-10th-anniversary-african-youth-charter