Student entrepreneurship programme (SEP) in collaboration with Master Peace Sierra Leone has ended a one day entrepreneurship forum and exhibition at IAMTECH, Kissy Dockyard, Freetown ,with the theme ”Investing in young SMEs in Sierra Leone.”
The main objective of the event was to showcase businesses or business ideas of participants of the online entrepreneurship programme through linking identified business opportunities of young start-ups to investors in Sierra Leone, the Netherlands or elsewhere.
According to UNDP 70% of youth are unemployed or underemployed and 60% of Sierra Leoneans live below the national poverty line. The fall of the mining sector and the deadly Ebola scourge has posed a serious impact on the country.
Since few employers offer attractive chances for young graduates and youth in the country, starting their own enterprise is an excellent alternative for job creation” said Abubakarr Bangura the initiator of the online entrepreneurship programme.
Therefore, the online Entrepreneurship Program he added offers online entrepreneurship training, combined with an individual coaching for starting entrepreneurs, during which they are supported by local trainers and by successful migrant entrepreneurs from Africa in the Netherlands.
He also commended the Dutch Government for their generous and substantial support to Sierra Leone and also thanked IOM for its continued support towards the programme. He further thanked the Director of Diaspora Affairs, Private Sector Manager, UNDP Consultant Mr Hassan Jalloh for their support and guidance.
Meanwhile, Both Coordinators and participants of the online entrepreneurship vis-à-vis SEP and Master Peace Sierra Leone expressed delight and lauded the Network University and Abubakarr Bangura of Migration and Development Consultancy in the Netherlands for their effort in providing the online entrepreneurship Programme.
Their major challenge they maintained was lack of funding to support viable business plans developed by participants. They however appealed to the government, donors, and nongovernmental organizations to provide them start-ups in order for them to actualize their dream of becoming successful entrepreneurs in the country.
Monday July 11, 2016
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