By Jane B. Mansaray.
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In an effort to mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic in Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and its implementing partners, Restless Development has, with funding from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), presented a cheque of Nine Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Eighteen Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty One Leones as a stimulus package to youth- led businesses in Freetown.
Giving his keynote address at the certification of 187 beneficiaries and grant distribution ceremony held on Friday, 8th October 2021 at the Atlantic Hall, National Stadium Hostel in Freetown, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura said the package for the youth is in response to the New Direction Manifesto of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) under the leadership of President Dr Julius Maada Bio.
He said, the stimulus package to the youth is as a result of hard work and commitment to impact young people and make them visibly changed individuals to their pairs.
“There is nothing like free money. But if you utilize what we have well, you will be your own Bill Gates,” Minister Orman Bangura assured beneficiaries.
He further encouraged beneficiaries to be self-esteemed, self- confident and stay focused in utilizing the funds provided.
Minister Mohamed Orman Bangura urged the beneficiaries to go and represent young people well.
Interim Director of Restless Development, Sierra Leone, Mr. Leslie Garura described the selection process of applicants as the most transparent, especially with the setting up of a special committee represented by All Walks of Life.
According to Mr. Leslie Garura, Restless Development is an organisation that believes in young people to lead development with a sustained livelihood through the Covid-19 response program.
The initial program for the recovery of youth businesses affected by the pandemic according to Garura was for one hundred youth, but those that have applied are more than the expected number.
Out of those that applied, one hundred and eighty seven (187) were selected and later performed training business enterprises.
The training was to equip young people to carry on their business with the disbursement fund.
He said businesses of beneficiaries will be monitored, and at the same provide ongoing support and program scheme to the Minister of Youth Affairs to help sustained their business.
Mr. Leslie Garura thanked UNDP for providing the fund at the right time and the Youth Ministry for logistics support to the implementation project initiative and is looking forward to further expansion in the provinces.
UNDP Country Representative, Sayed Sahibzada said his two weeks public exposure in the country has been centered on youth activities.
He maintained that Covid-19 affected the entire Globe with 6.7 million people without jobs or livelihood with 68% businesses affected.
Sierra Leone is not an exception to the impact as the government medium national term plan of 2019 and business cooperation were disrupted by the global pandemic.
Mr. Sayed Sahibzada congratulated the team for the initiative and vowed to continue supporting government respond plan.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to use the funds for the intended objectives.
Disbursement of the above sum of money will range from two Million Leones as the lowest to ten Million Leones as the highest to youths between the ages of 18 to 35.
The project is under the Youth Affairs Ministryโs quick economic response program to revive small business, priorities youth and thereby making migration less attractive and increase youth business by 15% in 2023.
