THE kingdom’s future entrepreneurs were celebrated yesterday in a first-of-its kind family-fun festival to mark Bahraini Youth Day.
The two-day INJAZ Bahrain Youth Festival, which kicked off on Thursday at Water Garden City in Seef, was officially inaugurated by INJAZ Bahrain chairperson Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa.
Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Aymen Almoayed and INJAZ board members were also present.
More than 50 students from an array of schools and universities featured their local products, services and business plans in a market for all visitors to enjoy and applaud.
“The INJAZ Bahrain Youth Festival is a great opportunity for our students to showcase their entrepreneurial mindsets and innovative company ideas to the wider public,” said Shaikha Hessa.
“The event has given our students a chance to get a more hands-on experience with operating an actual marketplace and visitors had the chance to tap into their unlimited potential, to buy their local products and services as well as enjoy a fun-packed weekend at the festival.”
Shaikha Hessa also added that the trade fair was part of INJAZ Bahrain’s National Company competition which aims to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of Bahraini youth.
“Year on year, we see some new innovations and products,” she added during the tour of the various stands.
“We have seen a variety of things from the students including products that impact the environment to safety and technical items and things you would use in your daily life.
“I am proud of all the work they do to inspire and leave a lasting footprint in the kingdom.”
A team of nine young ladies from Bahrain Polytechnic featured their business, called Upcycled, which turns plastic water bottles into sustainable fabrics.
“Upcycled means taking something that is deemed as waste and making something more out of it that people can use on a daily basis,” said company chief executive Sara Al Banna. “When we did market research, we realised that there is an appetite for companies that want to be more sustainable and eco-friendly. Our process is basically taking plastic bottles, compressing them, turning them into flakes and then into yarn. We then use it to make shirts, bags, hats or masks tailored to clients’ needs.
“We have every kind of technical fabric. There is so much potential from a water bottle that is thrown away. In the future we aim to make it into something more fashionable and modern.”
Meanwhile, a team of 15 students and a teacher from Al Estiqlal Secondary Girls School created a business called Rare, which made non-harmful colours and paints for children using natural food colouring.
“We came up with the idea because one of our friends is allergic to colours and paints,” said Rare team member Rabia Mirza.
On the first day of the festival, seven judges met all the student businesses to assess and nominate them to qualify for the competition. Some of the judges included artist Amina Al Abbasi and Tamkeen’s skills Bahrain director Mohamed Ahmadi.
The qualified companies will be announced in April.
Aside from the market, visitors enjoyed the overall atmosphere including activities like face and glitter painting, sketches from a caricaturist and live music from saxophonist Franky Flowerz. There were also food vendors and a children’s play area.
Visitor Charlotte Valenzuela, a teacher, enjoyed the festival with her children Maria, six, Isa, eight and 18-month-old Mishaal, as well as her husband Fahad and parents Carlos and Marylene.
“We walked down from the retaurants to see what was happening and the children are having lots of fun,” said Ms Valenzuela. “The atmosphere is nice and the festival was family-friendly.”
mai@gulfweekly.com
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