MKU to benefit from Yunus Global Initiative

from Yunus global business conference

By James Wakahiu

Mount Kenya University (MKU) has re-affirmed its support to social business generated from the 10th Social Business Academic Conference (SBAC) hosted by the university in collaboration with Yunus Centre last week.

The in-person and virtual interdisciplinary meeting attracted researchers, academics, and students from around the globe to discuss academic papers, practitioner cases, and concept notes on innovative ideas on any issues related to social business. The seminar was hosted by MKU’s School of Business and Economics and Graduate Enterprise Academy under the theme: “Planting the seeds towards a new economy”.

The conference was officially opened by Nobel Laureate, Prof Mohammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance.

Closing the ceremony, MKU Pro-Chancellor who is also Vice-chairman of the Council, Dr. Vincent Gaitho said the Covid-19 pandemic has taught the world that “we are one”. “The world today is faced with disasters and extinction of species,” he said.

The Pro-Chancellor decried Africa’s continuous position on the lower floor of economic, social and political developments. “For instance, as pointed out by other speakers here, the level of vaccination in Africa World remains very low. Africa’s level of food security is also low,” he noted.

However, he noted, the flip side of the disruption by the pandemic is a wake-up call to establish regional supply systems that are more participatory and sustainable. “If we cared for each other, the world would be a better place,” he said.

Dr Gaitho said today’s arbitrary political boundaries have no meaning. “Whatever happens in any one part of the world affects a poor family in the remotest corner of Africa, through for example pollution which impacts on climate change,” he said. 

Additionally, he asked, can the present economic systems help us with current social, economic and political challenges?   “We need to rethink the systems that we are using. Climate change, the pandemic and changes in technology demand that we change our systems,” he added.

MKU has started a campaign to have the 3 Zero clubs at all its’ campuses as well as at the local communities.  The institution has already established a Yunus Social Business Centre in collaboration with Prof Muhammad Yunus and his global Yunus Social Business Centre Network in achieving a world of three zeroes.

Dr Gaitho said the three zero concept resonates well with the MKU new status as one of the global hubs for tackling social economic inequalities under the United Nations Academic Impact project. The UN said it had bestowed the status on the university for its research work on reducing inequalities in Kenya as well as the East African region. Development Goals. UNAI designates institutions as hubs for their initiatives in promoting UN’s Sustainable.

“We appreciate the opportunity to host such a crucial summit in the developing world. Our students and faculty members have had a wonderful learning experience. We recommit to support the ideas generated from the conference,” said the Pro Chancellor. 

This year’s meeting was focused on the academic curriculum on social business and research opportunities with a special focus on the East African region. The forum entailed paper presentations from academicians from all over the world.

The main presentations focused on introduction to Yunus, activities and values as it relates to the Africa region as well as Yunus academic and social entrepreneurship programmes. 

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