The route of Entrepreneurship is not travelled by many. Although it has high returns, it also has high risks. With that in mind, it is not a surprise that many parents encourage their children to go to University, get a job and build a stable career, and this is quite common in African families.There is a lot of support if you want to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, accountant etc. but not the same enthusiasm if one wants to be an entrepreneur.
My parents were full-time entrepreneurs by the time was I was ten years old. My siblings and I grew up in the family business and understood how one could run a business. However, our parents wanted us to go to school, get a job and then maybe launch a business. Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o who is of Kenyan origin mentions the importance of getting a job for someone of an African background when she received her SAG award. Lupita said how she excitedly told her dad she would be working with Brad Pitt for the movie ’12 Years a Slave.’ To which her dad simply replied, “I don’t know him personally, but I’m glad you’ve got a job.”
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Sibonginkosi Moyo 