Mbabane: The Minister of Sports, Culture, and Youth Affairs Harries Bulunga has officially opened a Shiselweni Entrepreneurship Incubation Hub which will serve as a centre for the region’s youth to fine-tune their business ideas while receiving training on key entrepreneurship skills.
The Incubation Hub is a result of a partnership between the Government, Junior Achievement, and UNICEF.
The Hub is located at the Eswatini National Youth Council (ENYC) offices in Nhlangano and is fitted with 100 computers and WiFi.
The programme will see 100 youth at a time incubate their ideas and receive training over a 12-month period.
Minister Bulunga has further launched a JA and UNICEF-powered Employment Online Application aimed at connecting young people with the labour market.
Making his remarks Minister Bulunga said this launch is yet another significant marker of His Majesty’s Government’s and partners’ shared commitment to capacitating young people to be able to fully partake in the economy while achieving decent and sustainable high-quality lives.
Minister Bulunga said these programmes embody the kind of holistic thinking that we should all adopt as we work to address youth issues in the country. “While we strengthen funding opportunities, we should give similar attention to capacity building and market linkages programmes.”
UNICEF Representative Natalie Daries said the project underlines UNICEF’s interest in wholistic development of the child, beyond adolescents’ age, and also to support our young people. UNICEF pledges continued support in uplifting our adolescents & young people through skills investments.”
JA Executive Director Phetsile Masilela also noted that the Incubation Centre will ensure that the participants go through training for three months & mentorship for six months while accessing computers and Internet services.”
Youth Representative Mpilwenhle Nhlabatsi thanked UNICEF, JA, and Government for the programme, saying that as youth they believe that through it their dreams will come true.
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