21 youths to soon become business owners under Be Your Own Boss programme

Georgetown: Within the next week, 21 youths will become entrepreneurs after successfully completing the ‘Be Your Own Boss Programme’ (BYOB). The programme is a collaborative effort among Specialists in Sustained Youth Development and Research Incorporation (SSYDR), the Ministry of Communities and Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED).

The 21 youths comprised the first batch to benefit from training since the formation of SSYDR in October 2016. Its Executive Director, Magda Fiona Wills in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), said that the BYOB programme which culminated today ran for four weeks.

Youths were selected from East Coast Demerara, Soesdyke, Georgetown and Mocha and were given a grant of $130,000 to start up a business of their choice.

Wills stated that, “today they will be completing purchases and within a week we should see 21 persons actually at their business points starting everything.” She noted that during the training, youths were encouraged to love whatever they did.  Wills made reference to one of the participants of the programme and the passion she has for making juices.

“She is very good at really getting that perfect blend of juices, and so she decided to go into that business because during the training one of the things we say to them is for you to be really successful at any business you got to really want to do it,” Wills explained.

Below are the names of the participants and their business venture.

East Coast Demerara

Name	Business
Keon Anthony	Barbershop
Leroy Anthony	Poultry Rearing
April Pearson	Grocery Shop
Telaka Hall	Bridal Store
Kevin Narine	Poultry Rearing

Soesdyke

Name	Business
Vasita Bisnauth	Vegetables/Fruit Farming
Ian Smith	Upholstery
Marcy Johnson	Farming
Niwdelc Williams	Graphic Designs
Nikita David	Beauty Salon
Nikita Ignacio	Poultry Rearing
Tiffany Cornett	Variety Shop
Jenicia McKenzie	Variety Shop

Georgetown

Name	Business
Maeve Ramsay	Fruit Juice
Jewana Whyte	Fish Shop
Petrunella Cato	Snackette and Bar
Jonel Perriera	Fish and Chip

Mocha

Name	Business
Lyliton Ramsay	Pig Rearing
Tennifer Ramsay	Sports Complex
Kimberly Norton	Poultry Rearing
Abiola Bourne	Bakery

Wills said that ever since its establishment, SSYDR has been focusing on youth development through entrepreneurship. The collaboration with the Ministry of Communities according to Wills is to allow for the participants to realise their dreams by providing the grants. CARILED on the other hand, played a more integral role in the training.