A ten-day entrepreneurship training programme on small enterprise development (SME) for the National Youth Service Scheme ex-corp members began on Tuesday at the President’s International Award Scheme in Bakau.

The training, facilitated by the management of NYSS, was funded by the Social Development Fund (SDF) to at least train twenty-five Ex-Corp members.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Alhagie Mas Axi Gye, secretary of state for Youth and Sports, recalled that in 1998 when the NYSS started graduating corp members in various skills, efforts where also initiated to answer some of the scheme’s pressing needs and challenges in order to ensure impact and sustainability.

He remarked that the importance of the entrepreneurship and business management training is a worthwhile venture. “I am happy that the training also include business plan development, financial management, customer care and entrepreneurship”, he noted.

SoS Gye used the platform to reiterate the commitment of the Gambian leader in fullfiling his quest to empower young Gambians to ensure that they play an effective role in the socio-economic development of the country.

He further expressed his desire for the corp members to view the training as the preliminary stage for young people to cement a long lasting relationship that grows and reach different levels of micro finance and business development. He then commended the SDF for recognizing young people.

According to him, the training seeks to unlock the potential for creating more and better jobs in the small enterprise sector. My Mbye, Executive Director of the NYSS, observed that a successful response to the challenges of youth employment means constructing a solid foundation for inter-generation solidarity today, noting that, for the social and economic development of future generation, youth employment provides an entry point into “coherent and coordinated international strategy on employment” called for by the 24th Special Session of the UN General Assembly entitled- ‘World Summit for Social Development and Beyond:

Achieving social development for all in globalizing world’.

The NYSS boss recognised that investment in young people promotes social economic growth, and key to these efforts is, building skills hence creating employment opportunities for young people.

Mr Mbye then used the opportunity to pay tribute to President Jammeh and his government for the continued support provided for the young people of The Gambia.

Other speaker at the opening session included, Alhagi Mbye Saho, chairman of the Board of Directors, NYSS and Allasana Gitteh, fund manager of SDF.