A partnership between the SME/Corporative Division of the Western Highlands Provincial Administration and the International Labor Organization, will now allow farmers and other interested individuals in Western Highlands Province, to undergo an Entrepreneurs Life Skills Training.
“It is a two weeks intensive training. I decided to take on this initiative because people need to be able to educate themselves and make more informed decisions, plus it will allow them, to go into a more formal way of doing business,” Acting Senior Business Development Mr. Richard Lazarus said.
The Financial Literacy is being carried out in all four Districts in the Western Highlands Province, with an estimated 200 participants in all 318 Wards. “Many of the participants in this Entrepreneurs Life Skills Training said this is an eye opener for them,” Richard Lazarus said, adding that many of the participants thought they’d never have the opportunity to undergo such a training.
“Participants are expected to pay K250 for this training, but this fee can be paid in installments.” Many of the participants of this Training, don’t have bank accounts. Going through and successfully completing this training and with the assistance of the coordinator, has allowed them to open their personal banks in Mt. Hagen.
This will enable them to then open business accounts and have access to government funding for people wishing to register and operate an MSME.
“In this training, we learn about book keeping, cash flow and even paying tax. People at the village level don’t understand how paying taxes will help improve their livelihoods. We make sure they understand that paying taxes will make sure they have electricity and good roads.”
Mr. Richard Lazarus is also taking the lead, to educate volunteers who clean Hagen City, many of whom are unemployed youths. “This kind of training is beneficial for people like this. It gives them the knowledge they made need to get into small business.
It is also a way to keep them from getting involved in criminal activities.” Participants have expressed that such training is the way forward as it is empowering.
“We cannot continue to rely on the government to improve our living standards. We have to help ourselves,” Richard Lazarus states.
The Entrepreneurs Life Skills Trainings have been put on hold for the next 4 months, to allow the campaigning period to conclude before they can continue on with their good work again.
