Ousman Sonko, vice principal of Rural Development Institute (RDI) has said that entrepreneurship could address many problems in the country.
“Entrepreneurship is a probable solution to most problems especially, challenges associated with youth employment,” he said at a five day entrepreneurship training for twenty five youth entrepreneurs including returnees in Njawara, North Bank Region.
He added: “When you prepare people for entrepreneurship the impact is greater, because they are directly connected to job creation and job creation anywhere including the develop world is a priority.”
The training, organize by National Enterprise Development Initiative with Funding from the government of The Gambia through Ministry of Youth and Sport targeted returnees and potential migrants in the country.
It is meant to transfer the essential business management skills to targeted trainees including the returnees and link them to other partner supports and as well enhance them with basic skill of business management and networking for their businesses.
“As young people your survival is your own responsibility, other people including the government, civil society organizations, NGOs and others can only be concern, therefore opportunities provided must be sees as rear privilege rather than rights. It’s only then that such opportunities can be maximally utilized,” lead trainer Mr. Sonko further argued.
Mustapha Badjie, program manager, National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI), said the training is the beginning of a new chapter of working with the young entrepreneurs.
He added: “We are thinking of establishing a chapter in all region and we want to start with you people here with us today.
“We are here for you to serve your interest. Please start something, if you start something NEDI will come and support you, we may not able to do all but we have partners that we can link you with for support.”
According to him, they have been doing lot of trainings in different areas, entrepreneurship, food processing and agriculture. “NEDI is for you whenever you come to us we will be there for you. We have an incubation center at NEDI that can help you.”
He challenged the young people to be networking and connect to each other, for better and advancement of their businesses.
Alassan Jawo, youth coordinator, North Bank Region challenged the trainees to make best use of the training received and develop their various businesses.
“Think ahead, be innovative and gripped any opportunity that comes your way and make best use of it to develop yourselves for better,” he noted.
Author: Sulayman Ceesay