This year's forum to focus on 'New Kuwait 2035' vision

KUWAIT: Kuwait's Achievers for Future Opportunities (KAFO) is the first national platform showcasing achievers to ease the process of searching, connecting and collaborating among each other, and is outcome of the national youth project 'Kuwait Listens.' The Amiri Diwan, acting upon directions of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, joined hands with Ministry of State for Youth, Ministry of Information, Public Authority for Youth and the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development for the implementation of the project.

KAFO began its initial phase in 2016, and the first forum was held in the following year and the second in 2018. This year's forum is focusing on 'New Kuwait 2035' vision. KAFO "aims at promoting cooperation and exchange of expertise in all domains, as well as creating an electronic platform of a database that will benefit individuals," Dr Fatma Al-Moussawi, the platform Executive Director, said in a statement. KAFO targets age group between 18 and 34 years old, but registration is open when a person is 13 years old, and available for all nationalities with civil IDs, she said.

Moussawi said 3,000 people have so far registered in KAFO, with sessions and workshops organized to know their needs. Organizers are constantly updating the database which includes different professions in order to enhance communication and interaction among members in nine communities: humanitarian, media, health, culture, art, science, technology, sport and environment, added Moussawi.

Dr Ahmad Nabil, an inventor and a KAFO member, said that the platform enabled Kuwaiti youth to initiate cooperation among themselves in either government or private sectors, and NGOs. He said he was a member in the Health Community, which helped him get to know many physicians. Salma Al-Mutairi, an achiever, said KAFO introduced her to different achievers who helped her develop her skills. "What is amazing about KAFO is its database which is full of skilled people who can be approached and asked for help from," she said. The acronym KAFO also translates in Arabic as 'competent.' - KUNA