YBSL supports youth entrepreneurs in Anuradhapura

Tuesday, 22 November 2011 01:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Youth Business Sri Lanka (YBSL) programme will be launched in Anuradhapura on 17 December to coincide with the opening of the new office premises of the Anuradhapura District Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

Anuradhapura being a district that is growing at a rapid speed, has great potential for investors to start their businesses, particularly in agriculture, agro-based industries and livestock sectors.

In order to provide better services to the business people in the area, Anuradhapura District Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture moved to a new location on 17 November.

The new premise was declared open by H.B. Semasinghe, Agriculture produce marketing and livestock of the NCP.

Deputy Minister Industry and Commerce Jayarathna Herath, Minister Agriculture and Livestock of the NCP K.H. Nandasena, Past Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the YBSL Dr. Anura Ekanayake and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Secretary General/CEO Harin Malwatte graced the occasion.

Chief Minister of the North Central province Berty Premalal Dissanayake took time off his busy schedule to join the programme later in the day.

The President of the Anuradhapura District Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture N. B. Ratnayake and the CEO of the Anuradhapura Chamber Dissanayake explained to those present the progress the Chamber had made during the short span of seven years and the business services offered by them.

YBSL programme is an entrepreneur support scheme that has helped young entrepreneurs, who are either engaged in self employment or have had an idea of starting a business, but did not have capital to do so.

Many of the youth do not have any collateral to raise funding, securable assets or guarantors.

With the support of YBSL, the youth in the area will be provided an additional avenue to improve their livelihoods.

They in turn will contribute to revive the traditional businesses with the business mentor’s support provided by the Anuradhapura District Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

YBSL (www.ybsl.lk) is an accredited programme of Youth Business International (YBI), a charity dedicated to supporting young entrepreneurs and is the leadership body for a network of youth business programmes implemented in 32 countries worldwide.

YBSL is a proven model to assist youth to realise their dreams, by promoting engagement in business, the programme is the country wide expansion of the youth business assistance programme successfully piloted in Hambantota by Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce.

The programme is modelled on the principles of Youth Business International of UK (YBI), which is implemented in 32 countries and has thus been implemented successfully in the districts of Hambanthota, Kandy, Badulla, Jaffna, Trincomalee and now Anuradhapura under the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.