By Mustapha S. Koli, in URR
Mr. Edrisa Keita, National Coordinator of TOSTAN, The Gambia has said that Youth Enterprise Development is critical to the Economic and Social Development of the Gambia.
Keita was speaking in Basse recently at the Regional Education Office conference hall at four days Capacity Building Training Programme funded by GIZ and facilitated by TOSTAN, The Gambia, for 40 Participants drawn from Wuli East and Wuli West respectively.
He said that, Tostan as a partner and facilitator, these youth were selected from Post CEP communities where Tostan worked in URR.
He said that, the GIZ funded programme, is with the objective of supporting and nurturing youth entrepreneur’s and start up enterprises, serve as a platform for networking and peer learning as well as build capacities and capabilities of Youth Entrepreneurs in the Gambia, on diverse areas of Business and Enterprise development, Management and sustainability.
Mr. Samba Bah, Deputy Governor of Upper River Region, said that the Government of Gambia attaches great significance to women and youth empowerment.
He cited the creation of ministry’s and departments to promote and protect the rights and welfare of young people in the country.
Bah challenged participants to consider enterprising as a livelihood skills for self-employment and also a critical driver to income generation and economic independence.
Madam Fatoumata Jonfolo Jabbi, Lady Councilor for Fulladu East, decried the “backway syndrome” as a factor affecting the country’s youthful population.
She said business and entrepreneurship training, is critical to youth and Women entrepreneurs.
According to her will contribute to minimise irregular migration and boost the Gross Domestic Product of the Gambia.
She challenged participants to optimally utilise the knowledge gained from the training and serve as ambassadors in their respective communities.
On her Part, Madam Mariam Drammeh, Business and Enterprise Coordinator of GIZ, said that, providing business and entrepreneurship support services is critical to the operations of GIZ.
The project, she added, focuses on Youth and Women empowerment with capacity building, skills acquisition and financial support to deserving enterprises base on performance and target.
She explained that this is to ensure that the project impacts positively on the lives and livelihoods of Youth through income generation and employment creation.
Participants were exposed to the key fundamental elements of Business concepts, marketing, Records Keeping, business planning for start-ups and on-going Businesses, amongst others.
