Rupununi entrepreneurs get $6M in stimulus grants
DPI, Guyana, Monday, April 15, 2019
A total of 119 young people in the North and Central Rupununi, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region 9) received stimulus grants amounting to $6M each under the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme.
Among these, 60 youth drawn from 11 villages in the North Rupununi including; Annai, Surama, Rupertee, Wowetta, Aranaputa, Fairview, Massara, Rewa, Kwaimatta, Yakarinta, and Crash Water. While in Central Rupununi, 59 youths from Yupakari, Quatata, Fly Hill, Kaicumbay, Katoka, Simonie received their grants.
Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and Toshao of Yupakari, Russian Dorrick sharing a light moment in the Yupakari Village, central Rupununi, Region 9.
These young people successfully completed training under the HEYS programme and established business ventures ranging from cattle and chicken rearing, grocery and baker shops, canteen, honey production and ICT centres and stationery shops among others.
Harlington Hamilton, a young baker of Aranaputa Village, North Rupununi explained that before the HEYS programme, he was loitering around the village because there were no jobs within the village. He said that when the opportunity came for him to train under HEYS, he quickly seized it and was able to grasp culinary skills and business management know-how.
Today, Hamilton owns the only bakery in Aranaputa that provides bread and pastries for sale to the villagers. He is asking the government to continue the HEYS programme especially for youngsters like him who need a second chance.
According to Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, the HEYS programme was a brainchild of President David Granger when he laid out the ten-point plan for hinterland development.
Speaking at an official handing over ceremony in Yupakari Village, Minister Allicock noted that over the past three years, the initiative has touched the lives of some 4,000 of the nation’s Indigenous youth and led to the creation of close to 2,000 small businesses in 220 communities in all the ten administrative regions.
He added that some $400,000 was invested in each of these young entrepreneurs through a monthly stipend of $30,000 and an additional sum to start-up their businesses.
“This is an irreversible movement… we are happy with the outcome of the programme. We have a very strong team working with the young people… while some did not successfully complete the programme, the majority did very well and have their businesses up and going. Therefore, we decided to give them additional support in the form of a small grant.”
The minister reiterated that the government is committed to the empowerment of young Guyanese.
“We are depending on you to move the development of your communities forward.”
To this end, he explained the ministry is working on developing a concept to move the programme forward under the recently launched Guyana Youth Corps programme.
Additionally, a gas stove along with a gas cylinder and generator were handed over to a group in Annai Central who is involved in catering, and a gas stove and cylinder to Simonie village.
Toshao of Yupakari, Russian Dorrick commended the government for implementing what he described as a very ‘impacting and life-changing’ programme for Indigenous youth.
HEYS, which was launched in 2015, is designed to give the Indigenous youth a second opportunity to empower themselves through entrepreneurship.
Synieka Thorne.
Images: Teijpaul Bridgemohan.
