By Bakary Touray Jr.
The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), and Employers’ Association, commenced a five-day business training for young entrepreneurs.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) certified training program called, “Generate Your Business and Start Your Business”, under the program SIYB, enables potential Entrepreneurs to develop concrete business ideas, develop a bankable business plan and launch their business.
Mr. Suwaibou Cham of GIZ, said their focus is on Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET), and in that regard, GIZ has partnered with the GCCI to train young entrepreneurs in the Greater Banjul Area (GBA), Lower River Region (LRR) and Upper River Region (URR), to enable the chambers to have representatives in the regions, and also to provide job opportunities and link the trainees to major industrial players.
Cham added: “We hope that through the development of the trainers, they will help the chamber to train young people to serve as coaches in the respective regions. We wouldn’t want to encourage rural-urban migration and for that reason, we need to train the young people in their regions to provide support to them in their regions.”
The GIZ official challenged the GCCI to take the lead role in harmonizing and synchronizing the business advisory service so as to provide business advisory service to the young entrepreneurs.
The National Project Coordinator, ILO, Mr. Fanding Kinteh, said the training program is funded by the Japanese Government, through the ILO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and has already trained 250 young people on road construction and maintenance.
This he noted, aims to provide employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled people, noting that from that perspective, they are focusing on the construction sector. He added that the project also provides skill training and entrepreneurship.
For his part, Bajara Jabbie urged the trainees to make efforts and capitalize on the opportunities to become successful entrepreneurs. He exhorted them to take the training seriously, as he believes the knowledge gained from the training would help enhance their businesses.
