Over 200 Region seven youths sign on to YAEP

DSC_0233 Region Seven : 200 youths of Region Seven, Cuyuni Mazaruni, will join 460 others from Region one and Nine ( Barima Wini and Upper Takatu,Upper Essequibo) to sign on to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship  Programme (YAEP). The programme is gear to advance their lives and develop their communities.

At the launch at the Kamarang/Warwatta Community Centre, Upper Mazaruni, 200 young people between the ages of 18 and 40 were oriented on the project that came about as a result of Government’s commitment to youth development and advancement and investment in the lives of the Indigenous people.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai who officially launched the programme Sunday last said that the initiative was one that Region 7 had called for; however, she said that development is a process and it has begun in the region.

Minister Sukhai said  YAEP is part and parcel of that foundation being laid for a much stronger approach towards youth training, skills, leadership, entrepreneurship, governance and individual development, and,   “ therefore we need to work at it, the young people, the officials, Government, the President and those who can contribute to our dreams, objectives and our goal as a nation,”

The project is intended for the young people to first and foremost be attached to their villages or communities as Community Support Officers (CSO) to be trained in developmental work in various sectors. The youths will learn a skill after which they would become employable.

They would be trained in areas such as disaster management, governance and leadership, Information Communication Technology (ICT), business and financial management, eco-tourism, social and welfare services and monitoring and reporting

Minister Sukhai further stated that the call for this project is not one that needs to be justified, and urged the community leaders to put the youths first and look internally at their resources that can be used to create employment for them.