Barely a month after the inauguration of its new Kanilai Branch, the First International Bank (FIB) Limited on Friday 29th August concluded a five day-training workshop on Entrepreneurial Skills and Development for some 33 residents of Kanilai. The workshop, which attracted 29 women and four men from various groups within Kanilai, was aimed at empowering mainly women by enhancing the capacity in various disciplines such as business identification, basic business management, entity concepts, marketing, public relations, record keeping, financial management and banking.
According to Mr. Baboucarr Sawaneh, marketing manager of FIB, the workshop was very timely.
"Since we are moving towards the trade season there is a need to develop the skills of people to better manage their merger resources," he said." Giving the participants the factual areas of business management is a prerequisite to enable them as emerging entrepreneurs to develop and maintain their own operations," he added. Mr. Sawaneh said that entrepreneurs are a scarce and valuable asset in providing a vital link in the evolution and revolution of business forms and ideas in societies. Therefore, the need to show the participants who are potential entrepreneurs how to use current ideas and practices in the management of their activities has become eminent. "The workshop is therefore aimed at developing the analytical skills of the participants while preserving their entrepreneurial skills," he stated.
Mr. Sawaneh further stressed that the workshop, organised by the first bank in the Fonis -FIB, emphasises the bank's commitment to working with rural Gambians and promoting national development evenly.
Ms Naba Gassama, program co-ordinator from Micro Enterprise Development Initiative, Gambian Business Development Network and Junior Achievements was the Trainer/Consultant.
The closing ceremony was chaired by the Alkalo of Kanilai, Alh. Ebou Jammeh, and certificates were awarded to participants by Mr.Cyril Ijoma (IT Manager) who deputised the FIB Ag MD/CEO Mr. Daouda Sow.