LIKE they said, being a youth, not in education, employment or training is not the worst place one can be in life, or at least until one has already given up and the world has given up on them.
Certainly not in Bohol, for with the creative partnerships of government, civil society and the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) in its Opportunity 2.0, the recently capped successful Youth Entrepreneurship Caravan (YEC) did not just open the eyes of the 42 youth participants to the vast potential of entrepreneurship, it also provided them with an assured handrail of business support to guide them up and about.
For most of these kids, the usual dream is to get employed, it usually is but there are indeed several options and we are presenting them the best yet in “Youth Can Do It,” said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI Bohol) Small and Medium Enterprises Development Division chief Vierna Teresa Ligan, during the YEC.
The YEC is an entrepreneurship activity led by the DTI in Bohol and in partnership with the USAID Opportunity 2.0 (USAID O2) and the private sector to afford the youth some glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship and talk with successful youth in business. .
The caravan also becomes a venue for us to invite business establishments and young entrepreneurs to provide insights on how they can contribute in cultivating further the entrepreneurship culture, adds Florabel Labor, USAID 2.0 focal person for Bohol. .
According to the organizers, the event sets up the venue for basic information and skills to 42 OSY in Tagbilaran City on entrepreneurship and to connect them with the right network and partners or service providers who can assist them find resources and they establish and grow their businesses.
Hopefully, we can assist them and in the long run, promote entrepreneurship and help the youth develop their entrepreneurial skills; while providing them the appreciation on the value of network for youth engaged in business and network with the private sector here, organizers shared.
Young successful Boholano model entrepreneurs Dalareich Polot, Gab Pestelos, Marjorie Hornido, Rona Denque and Chan Wallace shared their business journey in front of 42 youth and gave tips on how to overcome challenges as entrepreneurs, during the testimonies portion.
Polot, who talked about her Dalareich Tablea and Guinto Chocolates as her model for the incubation of a business concept into a sustainable business model, while the youth also joined in the input for potentials of maximizing market presence via the social media.
Another highlight during the caravan was the sofa chat on business financial and technical extension services for entrepreneurs which had financial institutions facing the youth for potential assistance in realizing their business ideas.
Here, representatives from Bohol Community MPC, Bohol Diocesan MPC, and FCB Foundation Inc. enumerated their products and services intended for the youth and offered assistance in making their businesses become a reality.
Also present during the event were first gentleman and City Administrator John Geesnell Yap, Anton Gabila of DTI Negros Oriental and USAID Opportunity 2.0 Program Manager for Philippine Business for Education Bea Vergara.
USAID Opportunity 2.0 links government agencies and private sectors to establish workforce development programs among the youth, government programs, and businesses through Private Sector Engagement model, which champions co-creation of tools and processes to help partners collaborate towards shared goals.
O2 Highlight the importance of employment and self-employment preparatory activities for the youth that includes entrepreneurship activities with the Department of Trade and Industry. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)
