Investment for Students Foundation (ISF) is a foundation created by fellow youths for youths to tackle the UN SDG 1 – No poverty and SDG 10- Reducing inequalities by fostering divergent thinking, innovation & entrepreneurship and Savings culture & financial literacy among the African Youth.

What does ISF stand to achieve?

1.Promoting and encouraging an attitude of divergent thinking and investment among the youth.
Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions and this typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, "non-linear" manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion thinking.

However; divergent thinking is most likely to thrive in a safe environment that welcomes all types of ideas, encourages risk-taking and allows for fast failure. Youths who feel safe are more likely to share ideas, step outside of their comfort zones, foster creativity and take on more challenges. The foundation will task the youth to identify problems faced by society and brain storm possible solutions of making change happen through a shared online platform.

In addition; to encourage innovation and idea perfection; the online platform will have a section for which students can drop idea notes and seek mentorship, technical assistance, business guidance and a team. This strategy will encourage students to share new possible ventures, foster communication skills, and build confidence in a group setting.

2.Promoting a savings culture and financial literacy among the youth Schools, Parents and financial institutions do not teach and sensitize youth about savings and financial literacy nearly as much as they should. Youth who subscribe to be part of the ISF network will be given goals and responsibilities for managing their finances. In addition, ISF will;

a)Offer students lectures on the concept of savings and money matters. This is aimed at helping to improve the ability of youth to make should decisions when it comes to financial matters.

b)Conduct outreaches to Universities and communities, teaching them about the role of savings and general financial awareness initiatives, particularly promoting savings, investments and financial literacy.

However; to achieve this; savings incentives shall be offered to youth to encourage compulsory savings of not just little but more. Once the youth acquire the art of divergent thinking and an investment attitude; their desire to save and invest in the later future will be enhanced.

3.Awakening and strengthening of entrepreneurial talent, ideas and start ups Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) in 2015, when ranking the levels of entrepreneurship in 73 nations, eschewed popularly acknowledged innovation hubs, like Silicon Valley, crowning an unsuspecting Uganda as the world’s most entrepreneurial nation with an entrepreneurship rate of 28%.

ISF looks forward to encouraging and strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth while teaching them about business sustainability. By cultivating continuous improvement in these areas, ISF will give the youth the confidence to move outside their comfort zones, provide mental tools for growth, encourage creativity and support future entrepreneurs.