Rapper Akon to be support act for young entrepreneurs
THE US rapper Akon today unveiled a mentorship programme supporting nine young “change-makers” from developing nations.
The 45-year-old will help entrepreneurs including LeckrajAmal Bholah, who has launched a technology startup in Mauritius to make healthcare more accessible, and Batdulam Gaubat, who created a company to address plastic waste in Mongolia.
Akon, real name Aliaume Thiam, founded Akon Lighting Africa in 2014 to try to power millions of African homes. This year, the rapper said he was gifted 2,000 acres of land by Senegal’s president to build a futuristic city with an economy based around his cryptocurrency, Akoin.
On helping the entrepreneurs, he told the Standard: “I realised the most impactful parts of what we were doing came from young entrepreneurs. Theywere the most creative.” He was due to introduce his prodigies today at the Hague’s One Young
World summit.