Junior Achievement Eswatini and ENACTUS have partnered to empower over 2 000 young people from both high school and tertiary level through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.
The proposed project seeks to strengthen the capacity of 1 500 adolescents between ages 10 to 17 from 15 schools across the country.
Through the fund, the project will further strengthen capacity of 697 youth between ages 18 to 35 in utilising business solutions for positive social and environmental impact in Eswatini through trainings and seed capital.
The project has been funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, within the Canadian Embassy in Mozambique worth over E541 799 (CAD$39 955.68).
JA Eswatini Executive Director Phetsile Masilela said the project would have two major objectives.
“The first objective is entrepreneurship skills enhancement for at least 1 500 high school girls and boys, and 697 tertiary students,” said Masilela.
The second objective is to establish five teams in tertiary institutions, 15 out of school youth, who would be accelerated into businesses through seed capital provision.
“The project will also link these young people to financiers and markets,” said Masilela.
The long term results of the project is the creation of self-employment for youth who have completed tertiary, as well as those who are out of school so that they could be able to provide basic needs for their families and be social entrepreneurs.
She added that the project would have a lot of activities.
“A one-day event where relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Commerce, Education and other key players with the target beneficiary representatives will be introduced to the project to solicit their buy-in in project implementation,” said Masilela.
The launch will be held in Manzini. The project will further facilitate trainings and schools visits, conduct regional expos for in school youth and conduct a business expo for tertiary students. On that note, Ministry of Education and Training representative Schools Manager Lungelo Nhlengetfwa thanked the two youth driven entities, as well as the Canadian High Commission for providing resources for strengthening and empowering the youth in utilising business solutions for positive social and environmental impact.
“As government, we are particularly supportive of such initiatives as we have continued giving subvention to JA Eswatini and ENACTUS over the years where such funds go towards ensuring the programmes run for the youth by these organisations are sustained,” he said.
Nhlengetfwa highlighted that the country was faced with major challenges economically
“It is a global dilemma and it is our mandate as government to ensure that youth participation in economic recovery of the country is prioritised, therefore it is such partnerships that give government satisfaction where such projects are encouraged by our partners,” he said.
Adding, he stated that equipping young people with business solutions was the kind of education that will enforce a sustained economic recovery for the country and the continent at large.
“There is no better time to train young people, especially the adolescents on leadership skills and success,” Nhlengetfwa said.
Instilling this kind of knowledge at a younger age would ensure that the country’s future leaders would lead with power and integrity.
“May I congratulate both JA Eswatini and ENACTUS for this partnership with the Canadian High Commission in Angola, Mozambique and Eswatini,” he said.