Young Entrepreneur regional awards today in Batticaloa

Building peace through entrepreneurship education initiative by YESL

The Young Entrepreneur Sri Lanka’s (YESL) Regional Awards Ceremony is scheduled to be held at St. Michael’s College Batticaloa on the 15 November 2010,

where five schools from Batticaloa, and invited schools from other areas will be participating along with parents, teachers, principals of the respective schools, members of educational authorities and leading businessmen from the area.Simultaneously, there will be a product launch of new school companies for the year 2010/2011 along with an exhibition. The Chief Guest for this event is Bartleet Group Chairman Eraj Wijesinghe.

This will be the first awards ceremony to be held in Batticaloa after YESL launched its YESL/JA High School Programme in five schools in Batticaloa— namely, Vivekananda Balika Maha Vidyalaya, St. Michael’s College, Vincent Girls’ High School, Methodist Central College and St. Cecelia’s Convent. Speaking of the event YESL President Deshabandhu Patrick Amarasinghe said, “The students of Batticaloa were truly inspired by the Entrepreneur Education Programmes. Within a year, the children took up the programme very actively. Their performance has been outstanding. This year’s prominent feature is that the winner of the ‘Most Outstanding Entrepreneur’ of the National Award was won by D. D. Andrew of St. Michael’s College, Batticaloa, beating more than hundreds of school companies around the country.”

The National Award Ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Temple Trees Auditorium under the Patronage of  President Mahinda Rajapaksa shortly. D. D. Andrew has also won the President of the Year, Regional and National Gold Awards.

Since the liberation of the Eastern Province, YESL took an initiative to build reconciliation between the children of the war torn Eastern Province with the other areas of the country through Entrepreneur Education Programmes under the theme “Build up our Children — Build up our Nation”. This programme has successfully created strong links between children, parents and teachers of schools.  

Young Entrepreneurs Sri Lanka is a Non Profit Company by Guarantee, Member/Franchise Holder of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide conducting Practical Business, Economics and Entrepreneur Education Programmes in schools since 1998. YESL was incorporated in 1998 as a non-profit and non-political organisation by Guarantee. JA/YESL Programmes inspire and prepare youth to be workforce ready, and entrepreneurial, to succeed in the global economy.

In the JA YESL High School Company the students form a true to life Company under the guidance of YESL. YESL office is similar to the Registrar of Companies. The children learn about business, economics and entrepreneurship and being an activity based programme it helps to develop self-confidence, team spirit as well as teaching children to be self dependent.

Presently YESL depends on the financial support from donors, the business community and individuals.

The Regional Awards are also a featured event for Global Entrepreneur Week, a week where millions of young people around the world join a growing movement of Entrepreneurial enthusiasts, to generate new ideas and to seek better ways of doing things. This year Sri Lanka will conduct a series of activities, and events under the theme “Festival of thinkers” – inspiring imagination, creativity and innovation from 15 - 21 November.