Al-Watani Continues Support for 'Kan' Program in Partnership with Loyaq
As part of its strategic partnership with the Loyak Foundation, NBK continues to support and sponsor the “Kan” social entrepreneurship program, which aims to develop the entrepreneurial and leadership skills of young people and enhance their ability to transform innovative ideas into projects and initiatives that create a positive and sustainable impact on society.
This year, the “Kan” program celebrates its 11th anniversary, continuing its success in empowering successive generations of young men and women and fostering a culture of social entrepreneurship among them. Over the years, the program has solidified the concept of community entrepreneurship as an effective tool for addressing social and environmental challenges through innovation, teamwork, and creative thinking.
The program is the result of a collaboration between Loyak and Babson College in Boston, ranked first globally in entrepreneurship education. It combines the latest global curricula in entrepreneurial thinking with practical application, providing participants with a comprehensive educational experience that helps them build a leadership mindset capable of turning challenges into promising opportunities.
Targeting participants aged 11 to 16, the program offers a unique opportunity to learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and project management, alongside developing skills in critical thinking, communication, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. Participants also engage with pressing social and environmental issues, working in specialized teams to develop innovative solutions and practical projects that respond to community needs.
The program includes a series of interactive workshops, training sessions, field visits, and mentoring sessions led by experts, entrepreneurs, and specialists from various sectors. Participants develop their project ideas, conduct preliminary market research, identify target audiences, and ultimately present their final pitches to specialized committees that evaluate projects and select the most distinctive and impactful ideas.
In line with its ongoing support for the program, NBK strives to enrich participants’ educational experience by organizing a number of mentoring sessions and interactive workshops delivered by several of its employees and experts from various disciplines.
These sessions aim to introduce participants to the basics of entrepreneurship and project planning, while developing leadership, teamwork, and effective communication skills. They also support participants in developing innovative ideas that address community needs and contribute to solving social and environmental challenges.
Furthermore, these workshops bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application by allowing young people to benefit from the professional expertise and real-world experiences of NBK’s staff. This enhances their understanding of the requirements for building successful and executable projects, encouraging them to adopt innovative thinking and find practical solutions to challenges facing their communities, in alignment with the main objectives of the “Kan” program, which seeks to prepare a generation aware and capable of leading positive change and shaping a more sustainable future.
Commenting on the occasion, Assistant Vice President of Public Relations and Events, Yaqoub Al-Baqer, said: “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with the Loyak Foundation and support the ‘Kan’ program, which embodies our shared vision on the importance of investing in Kuwaiti youth and developing their capacities for innovation and change-making. We firmly believe that investing in young people’s capabilities and unleashing their creative energies contributes to preparing a generation of leaders and entrepreneurs capable of innovating quality solutions for social and environmental challenges.”
Al-Baqir added, “Our participation in the mentoring sessions embodies our firm commitment to supporting young people and transferring knowledge and expertise to them, enabling them to develop their ideas and enhance their ability to create a positive and sustainable impact in their communities. These initiatives also reflect the culture of volunteering and giving that the bank strives to instill among its employees, as an integral part of its developmental role toward society.”
He emphasized that young people represent a cornerstone of Kuwait’s future, noting the bank’s dedication to supporting distinctive initiatives that help hone their skills and broaden their horizons, in alignment with its vision for sustainable development and the objectives of Kuwait Vision 2035.
On another note, the bank’s support for the program aligns with Loyak’s mission since its establishment, which aims to empower youth and unleash their creative potential through education, training, volunteering, and capacity building. The institution is known for its pioneering role in preparing young people to participate actively in community development and to strengthen the values of responsibility and leadership.
The National Bank’s support for the “Kan” program falls within its comprehensive corporate social responsibility and sustainability strategy, which focuses on supporting education and training, developing national competencies, and fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, alongside building long-term partnerships with leading voluntary and non-profit institutions to achieve sustainable developmental impact that benefits society and future generations.
Over the past years, the partnership between the bank and Loyak has yielded numerous targeted initiatives and programs that contributed to developing participants’ capabilities and equipping them with valuable practical and knowledge-based experiences. This enhances their role in supporting the development process and building a more sustainable and prosperous society, reflecting the bank’s ongoing commitment to supporting initiatives with long-term positive impact.
