A five-day training of National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI) 3rd phase for forty youth and women is currently underway at President’s International Award (PIA) Centre in Bakau.

The training, which kicked-off last Monday, brought together trainees from all the five Regions of The Gambia with funding from GAMJOBS.

Declaring the session open, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mam Mbanjick Njie advised the trainees to make the best use of the opportunities available to them.

PS Njie advised them to pay their loans on time and not disappoint their guarantors when it comes to payment.

He also advised them to be honest, attentive to their customers and not spoil their business for egoistic interest.

According to PS Njie, NEDI was established to help people and urged the youth “to tie their belt strongly, if they want to succeed in business”.

For his part, the National Co-ordinator Gamjobs, Malang Nyassi told trainees that Gamjobs’ primary objective is to create an enabling environment for employment creation, targeting mainly youths and women.

According to him, Gamjobs is supported by The Gambia government, in partnership with the United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP) and some other donors like (Spanish government). He added that as part of Gamjobs 2009 annual work programme support for the establishment of micro, small and medium enterprises, NEDI was one of the institutions identified for the implementation of some of the activities.

He said in September this year, an MoU was signed between the Ministry of Youth and Sports, on behalf of NEDI and UNDP on behalf of Gamjobs, to provide business training and extend loans to 43 selected vendors. He stated that Gamjobs believes that entrepreneurship training is essential in granting loans, adding that the programme is extended to equip participants with the required skills to face the challenges in operating viable and profitable business ventures.