Govt commits to fund youth projects

PLANS are underway to fund some projects proposed by 500 beneficiaries of the entrepreneurship development skills programme that was launched last year, the Ministry of Public Service and Labour has said.The beneficiaries include university graduates, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates as well as secondary school leavers.“We have chosen those categories of people because while they were at school, the entrepreneurship culture was not yet developed compared to the current situation where students learn entrepreneurship in class,’’ said Theophile Munderere, the skills development officer at the ministry.A total of 100 people underwent training during the first phase of the programme while 400 others were trained in the second phase that began in June last year and ended on Wednesday. The training was co-organised by the ministry and the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).The beneficiaries acquired skills in business planning, market planning, financial planning, resource mobilisation, procurement law procedures, and communication skills for entrepreneurs, among others. During the second phase, the training was conducted in Kigali City, Gatsibo, Musanze and Nyagatare districts.Munderere was optimistic that a big number of trainees would receive funds to implement their projects.“Banks accepted to fund the business proposals of all the 100 people trained during the first phase; this gives us hope that projects in the second phase will also be funded,” he said.He disclosed that the beneficiaries ought to form cooperatives once they start up their businesses.However, some trainees raised concerns over difficulty in accessing funds.Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of the beneficiaries who is also a KIST graduate said financial institutions only fund ongoing businesses yet a big number of youth usually have no funds to start up enterprises.Munderere noted that his ministry has forged a partnership with the Business Development Fund (BDF) and the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) to address the issue of access to finance.He added that chances of rejecting the projects by financial institutions were low as a team of business specialists from KIST is in place to help revise the proposals. The business training incubation programme follows up beneficiaries for a period of two years by coaching them on how to overcome constraints encountered during the implementation of their projects.Munderere said the programme is ongoing with plans to also include semi-literate people.

National

Govt commits to fund youth projects