14 Jul 2021

Youth Development Fund (YDF) beneficiaries have encouraged fellow young entrepreneurs to fight for the success of businesses so to contribute to efforts to tackle unemployment.

The word of encouragement was uttered by a YDF beneficiary, who owns a printing company in Mahalapye, Mr Frampton Magapatona during the YDF orientation in Mahalapye on Tuesday. Mr Magapatona urged the youth to make use of the YDF programme, adding that his journey also started when he attended YDF orientation and developed interest in the programme.

He was funded in 2016 and he said his company was doing well. 

He said young people should be determined to succeed, particularly since there were many challenges to be encountered when running a business.

Mr Magapatona said young people should endure the challenges for their businesses to be successful.

Mr Wayne Mazunga, who is also a YDF beneficiary, funded in 2013 for small stock, said the youth should know they whys and they should not let anything discourage them from realising their dreams.

He emphasised financial discipline, stating that business people should exhibit sound financial skills to prevent wasteful spending of the proceeds of their businesses that led to their collapse. Programmes officer from the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) in Mahalapye, Ms Tsholofelo Tlhowe encouraged the youth to attend short courses to gain knowledge and acquire skills about the businesses they wanted to venture into. 

By so doing, she said they would acquire certificates or references to attach in their YDF applications.

Kgosi Sedibana Motlogelwa of Tshikinyega ward pleaded with the youth to spend their business profits wisely. 

He also expressed concern  about the youth who wasted money on alcohol, emphasising that YDF was meant to create employment to help government reduce high unemployment rate among the  youth.

Tshikinyega ward councillor, Mr Orelebile Baatweng said most youths neglected their businesses and ended up in poverty. 

To avoid this, he urged the youth to choose business ideas that they had passion for, rather than mimicking their peers. Ends