By Lamarana S. Jallow
The National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI) recently concluded a five-day workshop on general entrepreneurship training for the Gambia Songhai Initiative (GSI) 9th Batch students with funding from the Ministry of Youth and Sports through GSI, held at Chamen, in the North Bank Region.
Speaking at the closing, Buba Touray, facilitator, said the entrepreneurship training was meant to inculcate entrepreneurial soft skills to support the students’ practical skills which they have learned over the past nine months.
The modules taught included: basic entrepreneurship courses, ranging from Business Management and Leadership, Business Entity Concept, Financial Management & Record Keeping, Contract Negotiation, Relation Building & Networking, Customer Management, Marketing Strategies, Pitching, Internal Control, and Risk Management, Business Model Canvas, Business Plan Development among others.
Baboucarr Mbye Saine, the Project Coordinator of GSI said part of the requirements was to impart skills on business development planning to prepare the 9th batch students to attract funding both from Government and the private sector, saying access to finance is critical for them to start any meaningful venture.