Awka: Friday June 23, 2017: The business training of the shortlisted applicants for the 2017 edition of the Intafact Hero’s Foundation Kickstart Programme has been concluded. One hundred and twenty (120) young entrepreneurs, drawn from the eight participating states of the programme: Abia, Anambra, Benue, Delta, Edo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states were involved minute business training.
The programme, which is a Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative of Intafact Beverages Limited, is aimed at developing a local culture of entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths between the ages 18 to 35 which is geared at turning their business ideas into a reality.
The five day intensive training took place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state from June, 19 to June 23, 2017. The young entrepreneurs were trained on the Concepts of entrepreneurship, how to generate business ideas (Opportunities, Identification and Selection); marketing strategies; financial strategies; organizational strategies; risk analysis; networking, coaching and mentoring and how to write a winning business plan amongst others.
Otunba Michael Daramola, the Legal and Corporate Affairs Director for AB InBev for Business Unit Nigeria and Ghana also a Trustee, Intafact Hero’s Foundation, noted that the Kickstart initiative will help the Nigerian youths to channel their bright business ideas into a sustainable venture and in turn reduce crime rate and unemployment which will lead to more prosperous and healthy communities.
The Trainer’s team leader, Prof. Alex Ikeme hailed the Intafact Hero’s Foundation Kickstart Programme as a sustainable initiative given the long term put in place for establishing and growing the businesses of the participating entrepreneurs. In his words: “the training programme was put together so as to provide the young entrepreneurs with the needed skills which will help them to manage their businesses and making it profitable”.
Participants commended the organizers for the developing the program and urged them to expand the scope to a national programme so as to accommodate more enterprising youths. One of the participants Raymond Anyasi noted that the weeklong training is life changing and he is going away with practical business lessons.
The next stage of the programme is the evaluation where the shortlisted applicants shall write a proposal after which they would be interviewed. From the pool of the interviewed, winners will emerge and shall be announced during the award ceremony scheduled to take place later in the year. Aside from the seed capital that winners will receive from Intafact Hero’s Foundation, they shall be mentored and monitored for 12 months.
Over 5,200 applications were received across the eight participating states. Business proposals received includes: furniture making, welding/fabrication, agriculture, video/photography/media, fine and visual arts, event planning, transportation, education, waste management.
