Nairobi News

ChillaxWhat's Hot

Safaricom sponsored TV reality show BYOB set for debut


Safaricom has unveiled the Blaze Be Your Own Boss (BYOB) TV reality show which will premiere on Monday February 6, 2017.

The BYOB show will consist of 12 contestants who were selected from Nairobi, Rift Valley, Central, Western and Coast regions.

The aspiring entrepreneurs are all aged below 26 years, and were selected following a rigorous auditions process that was carried out during the Blaze BYOB mentorship summits held between June and October 2016.

The TV series will be on air for a period of eight weeks, during which the contestants will be evaluated on their ability to perform outstandingly well across a series of tasks that will assess their business skills, navigating carefully crafted challenges that simulate real-life situations, and working with mentors and established brands to earn the judges’ and audience’s favour.

EMPOWER YOUTH

Contestants will be eliminated each week, with the overall winner bagging a grand prize of Sh5 million that includes Sh3 million in start-up capital and the remainder in the form of mentorship, financial advice and business support from Safaricom and various partners.

However, no contestant will go home empty-handed, with each receiving a consolation prize that will go towards supporting their businesses upon elimination.

“Every year, over 800,000 young men and women enter a job market that can only provide employment to less than an eighth of them. We must find a solution to the challenge of youth unemployment by encouraging them to embrace entrepreneurship and create jobs,” said Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore during the launch of the TV show.

Based on a reality TV-show concept designed to be relateable to a Kenyan audience, the show is in line with Blaze’s promise to empower the youth and teach them how they can be their own bosses.

THE CONTESTANTS

Contestants will be guided and evaluated by a panel of three judges selected from media and entrepreneurship backgrounds.

The 12 contestants are Susan Mueni, Joseph Wanja, Paul Zakaria, Cate Akoth, Valentine Nekesa, David Kimani, Wayne Ochieng’, Sam Ngure, Susan Maina, Vinsencia Gisore, Keith Asumba and Lynette Achieng’.

The three judges are the Founder and CEO of the Tria Group of Companies, Trushar Khetia, Kenyan hip hop artiste Kennedy Ombima aka King Kaka and renowned Kenyan radio personality and Chief Marketing Officer at Radio Africa Group, Caroline Mutoko.

The Blaze BYOB TV show will air on KTN between 8.00pm and 9.00pm every Monday, beginning February 6, 2017 and closing with a live grand finale on Monday March 27, 2017.