Global Money Week: |24 November 2020

Igniting the spirit of entrepreneurship among the youths

Ten students from various post-secondary and secondary schools attended an interactive session yesterday on getting started as an entrepreneur, generating income, business management and entrepreneurship.

The session, held at Care House, Freedom Square, was organised by the department of Entrepreneurship and Industry in partnership with the Enterprise Seychelles Agency (Esa) to mark Global Money Week, which also ties in with the recently held Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).

Principal policy analyst Fadette Khan facilitated the introductory presentation, aimed at educating the students on managing, saving and earning money for themselves and their families. Then the floor was passed to the department’s principal secretary, Angelique Antat, who started off the session by briefing the students about the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the industrial and entrepreneurial development of Seychelles.

Ms Antat explained that the economic crisis caused by the pandemic has forced changes in the nature of the enterprises Seychellois entrepreneurs are now seeking to venture in.

The students were informed about the policies the department is implementing, and these can be viewed on the website www.gov.sc.

One of their main projects is the ‘Seychelles Made’ brand which aims at substantially transforming the industrial and entrepreneurial sector of Seychelles; the target is to ensure that at least 50% of the products under the brand ‘Seychelles Made’ are produced in Seychelles. This project is due to be officially launched in 2021, and is expected to generate income for the economy of Seychelles.

Ms Antat urged the students to be innovative and create employment in sectors such as agriculture, which she described as a ‘goldmine’, tourism and fisheries.

Chief executive of Esa, Angelique Appoo, was also on hand to provide a brief overview of Esa’s services, encouraging them to engage with Esa for support and guidance in any business ventures, urging them to visit their office at Camion Hall or their website www.esa.gov.sc.

A young representative of Esa, Eric Desouza, was introduced and started an engaging discussion with the students on the possible enterprises they have interest in, namely tailoring, handcraft, food preparation and importation and retail.

He emphasised the need to diversify these enterprises and renew the ways in which entrepreneurs in Seychelles do business.

He explored innovative ways for micro enterprises to transition into bigger ones and expressed his view that “the simple formula for success is hard work”.

This workshop could be considered a successful step in the right direction in sowing the seeds of entrepreneurship among the youths of Seychelles.

Iza Amade