ENYC HOSTS 1ST SHISELWENI YOUTH BUSINESS EXPO
March 26, 2024
The Eswatini National Youth Council (ENYC) has over 100 young entrepreneurs from Shiselweni. The training took place at the Shiselweni youth business expo held at the Eswatini Water Service Corporation (EWSC) regional branch, Nhlangano. The expo was meant to empower, educate, connect and expose the youth of Shiselweni with business mentors, vocational training skills and business opportunities.
Young entrepreneurs in the region were exposed to government tendering machinery, funding and entrepreneurship enterprises in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The expo was themed ‘Creating a Network for Young Entrepreneurs for Economic Evolution. Young entrepreneurs who have existing businesses also showcased their products and services at the expo, which exposed them to the business environment of selling; negotiating and potential funders like financial institutions.
Making his remarks, Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga, said the initiative would help to foster and increase economic growth and youth participation in business ventures. “The overall impact of the Shiselweni Youth Business Expo is to foster entrepreneurship competencies in young people. Empower young people to be self-aware, optimistic, business-oriented oriented and resilient. To develop empathy in young people in the region for collaborative and display increased entrepreneurship and business management skills to change the region”, he said.
Meanwhile, ENYC CEO Makhosami Dlamini also urged the young people to take advantage of this platform and explore other available business opportunities in industries such as agriculture, forestry, tourism and the fashion industries. He appreciated the presence of industries and stakeholders, which he said, provided a chance for possible incubation beyond the Expo seminar, potential sponsors and source of funding, mentorship and securing market for the youth already in business.
He further asked the youth to examine where they were directing or misdirecting their investments and shared the vision, plans and works of ENYC with the youth present. Ministry of Commerce, industry and trade representative, Sibongkhosi Bhiya advised SMEs on the need to shift focus from being money driven to value-driven. Bhiya applauded SME’s role in fueling economic growth as they create jobs, expand the tax base and are drivers of innovation.
Lastly, SWAMA President Melusi Zox Dlamini also encouraged the Youth to consider the numerous and promising business opportunities in the arts industry.