News
Iscte Business School, following an invitation from its partner NGO USEPHA, has launched a high-impact strategic initiative titled “Impactful Entrepreneurship for Inclusion and Diversity in Africa”, aimed at empowering young people in extreme settings through entrepreneurial education.
This project, represented by Professor Renato Pereira (Associate Dean for Internationalization and Research at Iscte Business School), focuses particularly on Portuguese-speaking African countries. It promotes economic autonomy and seeks to prevent social vulnerabilities such as forced early marriages among girls and the recruitment of boys into criminal networks or armed groups.
The initiative is built on three core pillars:
- Generating academic knowledge on impactful entrepreneurship in extreme settings, with potential for replication in other regions of the world.
- Enhancing the educational portfolio of Iscte Business School by enriching its curriculum in entrepreneurship, community engagement, and social impact.
- Providing direct support to vulnerable communities in Portuguese-speaking African countries, aligning with the strategic priorities of Iscte Business School, Iscte as a whole, and Portuguese international cooperation.
The first pilot project began in November 2024 in the city of Dundo, capital of Lunda-Norte province in northeastern Angola. Thirty young participants—both girls and boys—voluntarily joined the inaugural session, offering a valuable learning opportunity grounded in real-life experiences.
The first follow-up session with this group took place on April 18–19, 2025, also in Dundo. Over the course of two days, participants showed visible progress in developing their business ideas, and critical elements for advancing their ventures were discussed.
Seizing the opportunity, discussions were initiated with USEPHA regarding how to establish connections with regional partners to secure funding for these entrepreneurial ventures, facilitate access to distribution channels and assist these young people in acquiring basic equipment.
As part of the initiative’s expansion, a second group was launched in Luena, capital of Moxico province in eastern-central Angola. The first session took place in April 2025, with over 35 young participants. As in Dundo, the atmosphere was marked by strong commitment from the participants to build a sustainable economic future for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Iscte Business School expresses its deep gratitude for the invitation and the support provided by Adolfo Cabeia, Aníbal Vuma, Félix Bonifácio, and the entire USEPHA team, whose collaboration has been essential to the success of this mission.