‘Start small and you will grow’ – Min. Allicock
–Region One teens set for business
DPI, Guyana, Friday, June 01, 2018
Several youths from thirteen remote villages in Region One are now ready to go into small business after a year of training and the donation of equipment this Friday.
At the Mabaruma Town Hall, Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock handed over the items which included gas stoves, catering kits, toolkits, computers, sewing machines as well as carpentry and farming equipment.
This was after the teenagers had successfully completed one year of training under the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme which has thus far trained close to 4000 hinterland and indigenous teenagers, many of who are now their own bosses.
The youths hail from Para, a satellite village of Waramuri; Seemarupa, a satellite village of Assakata; Kokret and Kariako villages all in the Moruca sub- District; Mabaruma Settlement and Mabaruma Township, Kumaka, Wauna Scheme and Wauna Settlement, Barabina, Koberimo, Hobo Hill, and Barimanobo.
Allicock encouraged them to take full advantage of the support: “You can start small and eventually you will grow…And once the stomach is filled, then you will be able to think and plan on the way forward for your own development and the development of your community.” He also urged them to come together and propose income generating projects to the ministry. Once a project is feasible, support will be given, he assured them.
Dexter Smith of Koberimo was pleased to be associated with the HEYS programme. His community was trained in garment construction and carpentry. He said that the items would now allow the young entrepreneurs to expand their businesses.
Earlier this year, President David Granger established the Guyana Youth Service (GYS). The body will be responsible for consolidating all of the youth programmes, including HEYS, to offer a standard education and training curriculum for young people.
By: Synieka Thorne.
Images: Tejpaul Bridgemohan.