First batch YES beneficiaries receive packages
The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Enterprise Support (YES), Ms Helga Boadi, has called on the youth to change their mindset from seeing the state as the provider of all their needs.
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She said the practice of accessing grants from the state and failing to pay on the grounds that state money was free money ought to give way to a mindset where the state played a facilitating role in unearthing the talents of the youth.
The YES model, she said, had been designed such that the state played that role in providing technical support and interest-free loans based on strict business ethics and repayment plans.
Ms Boadi, who was addressing a press conference in Accra on the activities of the YES since it was set up last year, said her outfit faced remarkable challenges, amidst misinformation and a misconception that the YES intervention was one to dole out free money to beneficiaries.
The occasion was also used to formally make public 107 beneficiaries of the programme who would receive their support packages from President Mahama at the Flagstaff House tomorrow.
Out of the 107 beneficiaries, 68 are into agriculture and agribusiness, 36 in the services sector and three in cottage industries.
No free money
“Many were those who labelled the YES programme as just another mass handout of free money. I wish to state categorically that YES is not a mass production line.
“On the contrary, YES is a strategically targeted youth intervention that aims to identify and support exceptional entrepreneurial potential,” she said.
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Towards that end, she said, to guarantee the sustainability and success of the programme, an elaborate tracking, monitoring and evaluation scheme had been designed to ensure efficient utilisation of resources.
That, Ms Boadi said, aimed at turning the GH₵10 million seed money into a revolving fund, saying, “We don’t want to be always running to the government asking for money.”
Beneficiaries
Some beneficiaries who spoke to the Daily Graphic said they had been equipped with much knowledge during business clinics that were held for them by the YES.
Through that, they said, they had a good appreciation of the content and viability of their various business proposals and were confident of success.
Writer’s email: victor.kwawukume@graphic.com.gh