YEP focuses on providing vocational training and funding to help young Gambians start and run their own small businesses, aiming to address unemployment and irregular migration by fostering entrepreneurship within the youth population.
Key points about Gambian youth in business:
Youth Empowerment (YEP) as a driving force: The Gambia Youth Empowerment Project is a significant program that provides training, micro-loans, and market linkages to young entrepreneurs, enabling them to launch small businesses in various sectors.
Focus on skills development: Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) emphasizes vocational training tailored to market demands, equipping young people with the necessary skills to succeed in business.
Addressing migration concerns: By empowering youth through entrepreneurship, Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) aims to tackle the root causes of irregular migration by creating viable economic opportunities within The Gambia.
Sector focus: While diverse, some sectors where Gambian youth are actively starting businesses include agriculture, tourism, handicrafts, and small-scale retail.
Challenges faced: Access to finance, limited business knowledge, market access, and competition from established businesses can pose challenges for young entrepreneurs in The Gambia.
Meanwhile, young Gambians are increasingly engaging in entrepreneurship, with many starting businesses in sectors like agriculture, hospitality, and technology, often supported by initiatives like the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) which provides training and funding to help them launch and develop their ventures; notable examples include Muhammed Sanyang, a successful poultry farmer, and Haddy Faye, owner of Absolute Entertainment, an event planning company.
Key points about young Gambians in business:
Growing entrepreneurial spirit: A significant number of young Gambians are actively pursuing business opportunities, contributing to the country's economic development.
Focus on agriculture: Many young entrepreneurs are involved in the agricultural sector, particularly poultry farming, due to its potential for local food production and employment creation.
Support from initiatives like YEP: Programs like the Youth Empowerment Project provide crucial funding, training and mentorship to young entrepreneurs.
Diverse business sectors: Beyond agriculture, young Gambians are also starting businesses in areas like entertainment, photography, healthcare and technology.
The Gambia Youth Empowerment Project addresses the economic root causes of irregular migration by supporting youth employment and entrepreneurship.
The project takes a market-led approach to improve the skills and employability of potential and returning migrants according to the demands of the job market and simultaneously creating employment opportunities along Gambian value chains.
YEP focuses on vocational training and support for micro and small-sized enterprises and creates new jobs in selected sectors through value addition and market linkages.
