Financial stability and sustainability is every ones dream in the world. People talk about investment and the idea of having their money work for them quite often. But how easy or how hard has it been for people to start making this move?

Majority of young people do not not how to start investing and what to invest in which is usually important pointers in the investment industry.

Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) came up with a solution by creating the The NSE Investment challenge. The competition provides a reasonable avenue for young people to take risks and gain rewards on virtual grounds. Participating in such competitions also helps them learn how the market works as well as provide them with experience.

The challenge is an online simulation of live trading at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, where each participating group/individual is given a virtual startup capital to invest using the NSE real time information for a period of 3 months. The winner is the team/individual with the highest portfolio value. One can participate as an individual or a group of maximum 4 members from the same institution.

The main objectives of the initiative are to impact knowledge on investment in the securities and create a culture of saving and investing in youth. It also enhances financial management and entrepreneurial skills among the Kenyan youth and create a sense of ownership, loyalty and association with the youth by reaching out to them and by creating a unifying factor, hence enhancing our image. The challenge also creates an avenue of educating the youth on prudent process of investment decision making and risk management.

The NSE Investment Challenge is an annual competition supported mainly by the two founding partners - Nairobi Securities Exchange Limited and Smart Youth  Investment Limited has grown over time with support from numerous corporate such as NIC Securities and Centum Limited.

The investment challenge has been in existence for the past five years.

The NSE investment Challenge 2012 is open to any Kenyan youth who is in any tertiary Institution of learning, these include; Universities, Technical school and other post secondary institution of learning.

Source: Nairobi Securities Exchange