THE YOUTHS HAVE POTENTIAL TO CREATE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES

 At a recent stakeholders meeting Equity Bank was praised by the youths for enabling them to start businesses. The youths were provided with free financial literacy training and access to loans. In a nation where over 70% of the population is below 30 years , youth unemployment is one of the most pressing issues in the country. The stereotypes such as age and gender can no longer hold as bottlenecks to entrepreneurship. With the right mindset and training any individual can start up a business and it succeeds.

It should be noted that some of the leading entrepreneurs in the world never reached university and are employing graduates. On a good note Uganda is credited as one of the most enterprising countries in the world. We should celebrate this trait by encouraging more youths to start up businesses. The dominant thought among most of the youths is to sell off their property such as land and go to the Middle East. This may not be bad. The question is why is it that other people from the rest of the world envy coming to Uganda as a country laden with opportunities to make money. What is the missing link?

Why is it that despite most of the graduates have academic transcript but many are "cursing" why they studied. I meet and mentor many of them. For long the education system trains us to follow rules and anyone who questions the status quo is "punished". That is why a graduate will rather sit at home and wait for an ideal job than start small. I know of graduates who wake up early in the morning to drink and gamble since they have nothing to do during the day. Such idle practices are what breed increasing crime in the country.

It is important to nurture the youths to become job creators .Every course must be seen from an entrepreneurial lens. The youths should only seek shortcuts such as hand outs but rather seek for skills that can enhance their productivity. The other challenge that youths face is the desire for instant gratification. Many live to please others and in the end they divert their funds to unplanned expenses.  A number of youths do not live within their means and this causes financial distress.

The youths have the potential and power to start great businesses. They just need to be nurtured and exposed to the  various opportunities that are available.

For individual and corporate financial literacy training contact :

Coach Phillip Kiryowa

Personal Finance Coach(CMA)

Certified Master Trainer , Bank of Uganda 

Founder, Advanced Empowerment Link

0752615916

For Financial Freedom and Sustainable Enterprises

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