Entrepreneurship programme to empower youths launched

Apr 25, 2017 News

Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin has urged ninety youths from Sophia and Angoy’s Village, Corentyne, Berbice to get on a path that could take them in the right direction.

A section of the youths gathered at the launching.

He was at the time speaking at the launch of the first ever entrepreneurship programme, YouthBiz 592 which was recently held at the Vrymen’s Erven Training Centre in New Amsterdam, Berbice.
The programme which is being done in collaboration with the Ministries of Public Security, Education and the Small Business Bureau (SBB) targets youths between the ages of 18 and 25 and will last for three and a half months.
The aim of the programme is to keep youths who have been abused, who are school dropouts and teenage mothers among others, away from possible negative activities. Additionally, the programme also guides the participants into entrepreneurial activities.
The Ministry of Public Security with YouthBuild USA Inc. which is the lead expert for the project on entrepreneurship training, signed the project. The Ministry of Public Security then contracted the SBB to implement the programme.
During his remarks, Minister Gaskin told participants that programmes like these will not only help them to develop businesses and make money, but to become responsible and competent adults capable of setting their own goals, managing time and become role models.
Urging that the programme will help them to plan their future, the Minister added, “It will teach you about leadership, ownership and relationships. It is meant to put you on the path of success.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan said that the programme is in keeping with the government’s and his Ministry’s mandate to eliminate crime among young people. He said that based on a number of research studies that have been conducted locally and internationally, the programme is designed based on the outreaches conducted. The Public Security Minister urged the participants to persevere, because the replication of this programme across the country depends on the success of the pilot.
According to Minister Ramjattan, the programme, which falls under the Citizen Security Strengthening programme (CSSP), aims to contribute to a reduction in crime and violence in the country, particularly among youths, by increasing their human and social capacity.
Chairman of the SBB, Valerie Grant, cautioned the participants that owning a business requires hard work and that it comes with challenges.
“Being an entrepreneur is not glamorous. It is hard work. You do not have a nine to five job. You do not have a nine to five work day, especially in the startup and growth phase. For most small business owners you are constantly on call and you end up working 50-60 hours a week.”
Grant pointed out that owning a business would sometimes also require them to be the accountant, marketer, project manager, customer service and human resource manager and the janitor.
”At the start, you will probably work harder than you have ever worked in your entire life. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are mentally prepared to embrace the many challenges and to fight to overcome them one obstacle after another.”
She added that entrepreneurship is for the marathon runner and not the sprinter, because sometimes one’s journey will have many potholes and even a brick wall.
The chairman advised, “But you have to have that desire and the belief that you will succeed even if not immediately. It takes sacrifice, dedication, commitment and a whole lot of self-discipline. Even you truly decide to go the court you will succeed and there will be a whole lot of potential benefit.” Entrepreneurship, she added, will create jobs for young people and is also a source of economic development.

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