By Lawrencia Esi Annan/ Evans Quayson, GNA
Takoradi, Nov. 27, GNA - The Youth Inclusive Entrepreneurial Development Initiative for Employment (YIEDIE) has trained a total of 114 young men and women in the Western Region with vocational skills to enhance their employment options.
The trainees including 45 from the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis received certificates after being engaged in an intensive Business Development Service, dubbed "Young Executive Business Programme" (YEBGP) over a period of 6 months.
YIEDIE, a five- year project, initiated by Global Communities, is designed to create economic opportunities in the construction sector for economically disadvantaged youth aged between 17 and 24 years.
The project, which started in 2015, is climaxing its activities in November 2019 in the Western Region with the award of certificates to beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries after going through series of training, coaching and mentorship, presented their business plan to a jury, highlighting some problems they identified in the construction industry and how they intend to solve them.
The business plan pitching, instituted by YIEDIE, was to select a winner who would receive a cash prize to be used as a start up capital for his/her business.
Mr Stephane Abass Meizan, the former Chairman for the Takoradi National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNCCI), who chaired the event, said plans are advanced for the chamber to adopt the young entrepreneurs into their entrepreneurial training institute.
He said the entrepreneurial institute would train the fresh entrepreneurs in capacity building, advertising, book keeping, sales, marketing and customer service.
Mr Meizan said “after going through the training, the rest lies with you to ensure that you put the knowledge acquired to good use”.
He urged the beneficiaries to keep their focus and remain committed in whatever endeavor they found themselves.
Mr Isaac K. Amoah- Arhinful, Governing Council Advisory member of the Africa Aurora Business Network (AABN), said monitoring tools have been put in place to check whether the beneficiaries are putting to good use what they have been taught.
“This is to find out if they are progressing or facing any challenge in their business through the use of social media groups such as whatsapp and visiting their various offices”.
Ms Maureen Erekua Odoi, the Executive Director of African Aurora Business Network(AABN), in a speech read on her behalf, congratulated the graduates saying AABN is poised to develop the businesses of the young entrepreneurs into sustainable ones.
Ms Odoi said within five years a total of 1,259 entrepreneurs and SME's from Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi, Tema and Ashaiman have graduated successfully out of a target of 1,220.
YIEDIE is implemented by a five consortium partners led by Global Communities and supported by Mastercard Foundation. YIEDIE has directly reached at least 23,700 economically disadvantaged youth with training in technical, life and entrepreneurship skills leading to employment.
GNA
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