By: Haruna Kuyateh
The European Union through IMVF TEKKI FII project has contributed immensely in transforming lives of rural youths on TVET training in the area of horticulture, poultry and small ruminants’ production.
TVET training has provided an opportunity for rural youths to start their project on agribusiness through support from start-up kits, by allowing young people to showcase their potential and contribute to increasing the country’s food basket and by extension create self-employment.
Susan Luso Jatta, Agribusiness Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant at IMVF TEKKI FII described the training as relevant in harnessing the mind-set of beneficiaries of agribusiness on the importance of entrepreneurship training.
She noted that the core mandate of the EU funded IMVF TEKKI FII project is to provide opportunities for youths to acquire skills and develop self-reliance.
“TVET training for rural youths is key ingredients to address irregular migration and create employment opportunities for youths. However, it was proven that the North Bank Region has the highest numbers of casualties among migrants and therefore providing TVET training would contribute in modelling the thinking mentality and promote skills development.
The project has invested heavily to revitalize Bush Town Amsterdam Training Centre in Central River North to provide opportunities for rural youths on TVET training focusing on agribusiness among others. The intervention at Bush Town can be seen as a success story, as there is no TVET training centre around that part of the country,” she said.
She described the partnership between IMVF TEKKI FII and Gambia Back Way Returnees as crucial, citing support provided to Nuimi Berending farm among others.
She went on saying their participation and outreach programmes help to shared inhuman treatments meted out to migrants on their way to Europe and encourage young boys and girls to have hope on themselves and make best use of the opportunities provided by government and donor agencies.
She called on beneficiary youths to utilise what has been given to them judiciously and work to sustain the opportunity provided by IMVF and reassured of their support while challenged them to be proactive and committed to their line of business.
Sey Lead, a Trainer noted that the capacity enhancement on entrepreneurship training is key for any successful business and called on beneficiaries to be proactive in building networking and communication.
“Entrepreneurship training is an essential ingredient for any successful business and participants were exposed to record keeping, market research, business entity concept, production planning, development of business plan,” he said.
Salifu Mass of Gambia Backway Returnees used the opportunity to share experience on hardship and human treatment meted on illegal migrants. He disclosed that in 2016 most of the migrants were arrested and imprisoned and captives ended up demanding D18,000 from families and failure to pay, he or she suffered a lot from bandits. He urged youths to desist from illegal migration and make best use of opportunities provided by government and donor agencies.
Yama Ndure, a beneficiary of Kunkujang Keitaya in the West Coast Region hailed the support provided to her by the EU funded IMVF TEKKI FII project in undergoing nine months intensive training on horticulture at Insight Training Centre in Kuntair. She said the grant will help to start her production at Kerr Ngornyan of Jokadou in the North Bank Region.
Momodou Wurry Bah, a beneficiary from Jamal Nyagado of Central River North commended the European Union through IMVF TEKKI FII for invaluable support in strengthening TVET training among rural youths on agribusiness and entrepreneurship.
