BY FIONA MOTSA
MBABANE– All Out Africa Foundation has launched an enterprise development program which aims to provide a six week entrepreneurship mind-set training course.
This course will benefit 1 000 youth, provide a six week entrepreneurship mind-set training course and also help to create their businesses.
During an interview with All Out Foundation and Chairman Kim Roques, he revealed that this move was launched to help lower the youth unemployment rates in the country.
“The youth unemployment rate has become a social challenge of our time. At a staggering 58.4 per cent, the youth unemployment has been at its highest since 2008 when the world was hit with the economic downturn.
“The real solution to reduce youth unemployment or eradicate poverty is to create sustainable enterprises. Reports show that the creation of small medium enterprises will also attract foreign investment,” said Thorne.
Thorne further mentioned that this program would benefit 1000 youth.
“The program was launched on Tuesday and aims to provide a six- week entrepreneurship to 1000 youth and further help them create businesses.
“The training will be held at neighbouring care points (NCP) around Ezulwini, Elangeni and Nkhanini. The youth should register with Bucopho in their respective areas. We then receive the list and choose 20 people from each NPC.
Roques further mentioned that after the six week program, plans were put into place to help the youth start their businesses.
“We find mentors for the youth who become their point of call when they need advice on anything and also help them come up with a business plan that hone their basic business skills. Lastly, we also facilitate and put them with the right financier like banks, help get them loans for their businesses and also get their businesses registered.
Roques further mentioned that this was a joint venture made possible by working together with others to launch the program.
“We would like to thank the British High Commissioner, Lobamba Member of Parliament, Indvuna Yenkhundla from Lobamba, Eswatini Bank ,Prime Digital Technology Solutions, Inhlanyelo Fund and the Community of Lobamba for working with us to make this programme possible,” said Roques.
