“Kenyan Stories” - Film Documentary Captures Entrepreneurial Pursuits of Kenyan Youths

Carol Pineau is woman of huge passion… for Africa. She is a journalist who has specialized in Africa for more than 10 years, and many will remember “Africa Open for Business“, the award winning documentary showcasing entrepreneurs across Africa. I stumbled upon another Carol’s documentary recently - Kenya Stories showcases the drive and passion of some Kenyan entrepreneurial youths whose ambitions were caught up in a national political power play of very dire consequences.

Pineau explains further:

This film was supposed to be an inspiring, yet simple story. Kenya’s Youth Ministry was holding a national business plan competition for which 5000 aspiring entrepreneurs applied. The top 100 were to be invited to a compound near Nairobi for a week of training and pitching to a panel of judges. Bill Stevenson, Manager of Social Corporate Investments at the computer giant, Lenovo, got in touch with me. Lenovo was one of the main sponsors of the competition. Bill thought it had the makings of a great film. Imagine a business version of Spellbound set in Kenya or Apprentice meets Big Brother…

When violence erupted in Kenya following the elections, it’s impact on those young Kenyans can best be imagined…

What were once big ideas and lofty dreams became thwarted as Kenya descended into a bloody conflict orchestrated by personal motives of political party elders, and fueled by selfish ethnic sentiments.

Carol Pineau explains via CNN how she captures the dreams and motivation of those ambitious young Kenyans in tricolor - pre, and post, the election violence:

They are young, ambitious and want to win. 100 potential businesses. 100 great ideas. Imagine what these Kenyan youth could do for a nation plagued by unemployment. But sadly, this is the story of thwarted dreams. Six weeks after Kenya’s national business plan competition, a disputed election set off the worst violence Kenya has seen since independence in 1963.