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New scheme to empower youth launched in Dar
2005-05-22 08:18:01
By Simon Kivamwo
An initiative involving various secondary schools in the city to empower youths with entrepreneurial skills was launched this week.
Two institutions, the Barclays Bank and Junior Achievements Tanzania (JAT) on Friday convened a joint meeting that involved teachers from Azania, Jangwani, Al-haramain, Benjamin Mkapa and Tambaza secondary schools to introduce the initiative’s programme.
Known as “Banking in our Future—the youth”, the programme intends to empower students with skills on how to start business, raise capital, maintain the business to prosperity, and finally become leaders in business.
Speaking during the meeting, Moni Msemo, Barclays’ Community Affairs Manager, said her bank believed that increasing the skill base of the youths, made a significant contribution towards laying a firm foundation for the renewal of the Tanzanian society.
She said, her bank, which set aside 1% of its pre-tax profits towards supporting and empowering various communities with special emphasis on education, people with disabilities and HIV/AIDS considered the banking in our future programme as part and parcel of its activities.
Msemo said students will learn about the role of business and operate their own company as part of school-based organization, club or classroom enterprise.
They will sell stock to raise capital, elect officers, buy materials, market goods or services, pay a dividend to stockholders and liquidate their company, she said.
She said her bank would provide employee volunteers to be classroom facilitators and role models for students, and bring theory to life with real world examples from the workplace.
On his side, JAT Executive Director, Mkuku Mkuku, said “the concept we have in mind is to see those youths on the streets become self-employed immediately after completing their schools.
He said the initiative, also known as “School Company Programme”, is geared at empowering the youths to organize, liquidate and manage a company, as well as develope business plan.
While Barclays Bank is a sponsoring organization of the three-year programme, on its side, JAT will provide training materials and support volunteers need to ensure a positive and fun experience.
The assistant Headmaster of Jangwani secondary School, Mbazi Mjema, said the programme was positive and timely. He asked the entire targeted group to cooperate so as to make it a success.
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