BSA’s E8.5m youth programme for all 59 tinkhundla centres
MBABANE – It is the dawn of a new era for the youth of Mbabane East. This was witnessed on Wednesday when 100 of the young people of this chiefdom (inkhundla) converged at the Mater Dolorosa High School Hall to be empowered on available training programmes, including BSA One, which is coming at a cost of E650 per person.
BSA is a school that specialises in equipping individuals with the necessary skills in plumbing, electrical, motor mechanics and many more professions that are viewed as life-changing by many.
Judging from the attendance, the young people seemed excited by the programme offered, which includes an entrepreneurship training course.
This course, according to the brains behind it, is aimed at teaching young people how to start businesses.
They will be taught how to write a business plan and also be enlightened that when they have products, what skills must be applied for them to find the right market.
The participants will also be educated on required business skills like marketing and how to handle customers.
All the chiefdoms under Mbabane East including Sidvwashini, Fonteyn and Mahebedla, were represented during the event which was also attended by their Member of Parliament (MP), Welcome Dlamini.
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For Mahebedla youth, they will also be taught on agricultural business initiatives which they may start as they are able to do projects like feedlots and farming vegetables, unlike those in other areas.
It has been gathered that MP Dlamini also went to assess the land there.
The programme is not just confined to the youth, but even the elderly will benefit since they will be educated on how to make products like soap, Jik and cleaning polish.
The MP offered to pay E450 for each of the minimum of 40 participants who are required in the programme.
The MP will also pay for the elderly women programme, offering to pay E100 for each of the 40 minimum participants.
The course will cost E200 for each of the participants, hence the MP will fork out E4 000.
This adds up to E22 000 when combined with his offer to pay for the youth as well.
The Youth Fund also came to educate the Msunduza youth on which business opportunities are available and BSA also came to pledge the training programmes.
BSA’s director is said to be interested in the youth and offered to roll-out the programme nationally for the entrepreneurship training, but wanted it to start in Mbabane East first, before moving to other areas.
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It has been gathered that this programme will cost BSA E8.5 million and it will cover all the 59 tinkhundka centres around the country.
The course itself is said to cost E18 000 per person, but the BSA director is said to have compressed the programme to accommodate the youth, such that it will take two weeks training, after which the participants will get recognised certificates.
The start of the programme will depend largely on when the registration process will finish and this was also communicated on national radio yesterday morning by BSA officials.
It is anticipated to start the following weekend after the Buganu Festival at Hlane Royal Residence later this month.
Sought for comment, the Mbabane East MP confirmed the course and his financial offer to help the participants with registration funds.
“Yes, it is true that BSA are offering to help empower Mbabane East youth and the elderly with entrepreneurship skills.
“I was part of the event at MDS High, where the attendance was good.
“The Msunduza youth is known to be very vocal, but they never attend such events.
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“It was, therefore, a pleasant sight to see about 100 of them part of an event that could change their lives.
“I was actually approached by BSA Director Dlamini with the offer to roll-out this programme in all the 59 tinkhundla centres, but it was preference that Mbabane East be the first to benefit,” he said.
The legislator also confirmed that he pledged E22 000 to fund the registration of some participants from both the youth and the elderly.