By Olimatou Coker
The ROOTS Project, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, and The Gambia Startup Chamber of Commerce (GSCC), recently graduated 123 participants of the Round 2 Youth-Based Matching Grant Coaching and Mentorship Program.
The ceremony, themed “Strengthening the Capacity of Youth-Based Matching Grant Beneficiaries to Formalise, Grow, and Sustain Their Enterprises through Coaching and Mentorship,” marked the culmination of a three-month program aimed at transforming Gambian entrepreneurs into more formalised and sustainable businesses.
The beneficiaries from the Youth-Based Matching Grant program participated in the ceremony, with 121 completing the full coaching program and 119 meeting the required Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to graduate.
The program enhanced the beneficiaries’ skills and knowledge, enabling them to formalise their businesses, improve their financial management, and expand their market reach.
The program also empowered young entrepreneurs to support rural farmers, particularly those engaged in rice cultivation and horticulture, to improve productivity and maximise returns from their hard work.
Baboucarr Kebbeh, GSCC CEO extended appreciation to the ROOTS Project for giving GSCC the opportunity to implement and support young business owners.
He noted that the coaching and mentorship program has been instrumental in formalising businesses and enhancing the beneficiaries’ capacity to sustain their enterprises.
Mamour Alieu Jagne, ROOTS project director commended the participants for their patience and commitment throughout the program. He emphasised the importance of applying the knowledge and skills gained from the training, coaching, and mentorship sessions to strengthen, sustain, and expand their agribusiness ventures.
Fatou Jammeh-Touray, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youths and Sports commended the beneficiaries for their achievements and underscored the Ministry’s continued commitment to supporting youth and women in agriculture through the ROOTS Project.
Alasan York, Olimatou Sillah and Modou Lamin Jaiteh, all beneficiaries shared detailed testimonies on how the program helped them improve their business strategies, making them more sustainable.
The initiative has since registered 103 businesses, opened 93 bank accounts, establishes 105 social media pages for marketing, adopted 111 proper financial record-keeping systems, trained 65 on tax filing, formalised 90 employment or contracts, developed 105 business marketing strategies, introduced 57 invoices and receipts and expanded or identified 73 new markets.
