The opening of registration took place today, 29 July, at an event co-chaired by the Director of Entrepreneurship, Alexsander Ferreira, representing the Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship, and the UNDP Assistant Resident Representative for Operations, Antónia Daio. After the first round in which 16 innovative projects were selected that presented solutions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the aim of this second phase is to give young nationals and small and medium-sized enterprises that have seen their businesses suffer from this pandemic an opportunity to begin the recovery process.
Many young people encounter numerous barriers to accessing funds and loans when it comes to creating small businesses, start-ups or social enterprises. The obstacles range from regulatory systems to a lack of technical assistance.
A young entrepreneur also faces difficulties in obtaining training, accessing networks and markets. All these obstacles end up discouraging them and sometimes making them give up.
The aim of this second phase is to help remove some of these barriers by creating incubators, training spaces, mentoring and facilitating networking and funding. It also aims to support the creation of start-ups and the expansion of existing businesses.
The competition is therefore looking for motivated young people with innovative ideas that bring solutions to a sector as affected by the crisis as tourism and the entire associated value chain, such as crafts, fisheries, catering, agriculture, etc. Everything that crosses over and culminates in the functioning of the tourist industry. In the end, it is hoped to create 26 new businesses and support 12 existing small and medium-sized enterprises, both in São Tomé and Príncipe and in the diaspora.
The Empreende Joven Programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme - UNDP, aimed at supporting the private sector with the ultimate goal of promoting job creation and, through this, improving the family economies of all those involved, both the entrepreneurs and their employees.
This initiative is in line with the government's call for urgent action to promote entrepreneurship and the development of the private sector as a viable channel for alleviating and eradicating poverty, in line with SDG 1, and providing São Toméans with a better life.
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For more information and interviews, contact:
UNDP: Edlena Barros - edlena.barros@undp.org
MJDE: Nelson Mendes - geralempreendedorismostp@gmail.com
