Some 30 young memebrs of the Ghana Scouts Association (GSA) have undergone the first of a three-phased skills training programme to equip them and make them self supporting.
Dubbed ‘Scouts in Entrepreneurship,’ the project commenced on Saturday, July 10 and pooled scouts from across the country and was in partnership with the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) (formerly National Board for Small Scale Industries).
The Deputy Chief Commissioner for the GSA, Mr Hillary Awusie said the training was a response to the need to equip the scouts with entrepreneurial skills as many of them were identified not to be economically viable in their communities.
He added that the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills acquisition was to position the scouts to have their individual businesses as members and transfer the skills to other people in their communities.
Mr Awusie said the project is in three phases – the theoretical phase, the practical phase, and the monitoring phase. He noted that the project was being funded by the Messenger of Peace, a department at the Africa Support Centre (the African Regional Office) of the World Organisation of the Scouting Movement.
The second phase, which is practical would be held two weeks after the first phase. This will be followed by the third phase, which would be done between September and December 2021.
The Deputy Commissioner explained that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased the importance and usage of soap, detergents and sanitisers, making it worth the while for the beneficiaries to be practically trained in making them and shown how to find a market for the products.
He further disclosed that the GSA was building a pool of entrepreneurs and had began with the 30 beneficiaries as they would be made to train other scouts in their regions to gain the skills they had acquired.
“In the next five years, it is the vision of the leadership to have a lot of Scouts doing their businesses. We are confident that this will help reduce the unemployment rate in the country,” Commissioner Awusie stated
The GSA is a non-profit making organisation, whose focus is to develop and train young people to achieve their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities.
The Bono East Regional Scout Communication Officer and an Entrepreneur, Mr Shaibu Fenteduah, urged the participants to take branding and marketing of their products very seriously as that would determine the success of their businesses.
The National Board Chairman of the Association , Mr Isaac Aidoo who addressed the traines expressed his excitement at the level of enthusiasm shown by the scouts and urged them to hold the training in high esteem.
He said the leadership of the Association was working hard at striking parternships with like minded agencies, all in the interest of the scouts and the people in the communities where they are.
“ A lot of people who are making it in life often say they were once scouts and are ready to assist to train more youth to become responsible adults in society,” he said.
Beneficiaries share lessons learnt
Ms Mabel Hiatorfe, a beneficiary from the Ashanti of Ghana said she had learnt that “It is not only when gain higher education that you can economically survive but you can do also do something on your own with your talents and potentials.”
She said the knowledge gained from the training has pointed out to her that the local things in her communities could be put together to manufacture something of economic value.
Ms Abdulai Najilawu, a participant from the Northern Region expressed her excitement about gaining knowledge on how to start her own business and how to gain and maintain new customers.
She said all young should not only rely on education and not seek to explore their God-given talents but rather think of how to utile them for future benefits.
Mr Gabriel Hungbo, a beneficiary from the Volta Region said it is relevant to know the potentials you have as a young person and bring it to bear for the benefits of the larger society while you make ends meet from it.
He said from after the workshop, he would pursue his potentials while inculcating self-discipline to ensure the successful unleashing of his potentials of the people around his community.
