BUFIA patners others to train graduates

Accra, Feb. 8, GNA - The Business Factory Initiative for Africa (BUFIA) has initiated a three-month mentoring and internship programme for graduates and unemployed youth in Ghana.

This initiative comes under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the British Council and Barclays Bank at the launch of the next phase of the Blazing Trail Programme launched in Accra.

Under the MOU, BUFIA and other partners would mentor and evaluate 80 beneficiary graduates and school leavers, entrepreneurs, under-employed and unemployed youth for possible employment opportunities through identification of their entrepreneurial and employable skills and qualities.

Blazing Trails Programme complements the BUFIA model. The BUFIA model is an innovative and continental programme to provide young entrepreneurs with the best possible resources to help them turn their innovative ideas into real and sustainable businesses.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BUFIA Holdings, Mr Samuel Zeph Atiemo outlined the company's vision as 'a commitment to ensure that each graduate in Ghana and Africa own their businesses,' thus BUFIA slogan of 'One Graduate, One Business.'

Mr Atiemo debunked the notion that young people cannot make it in the country because of a 'difficult-to-succeed' situation.

He said: 'There is a huge untapped potential and abilities within the current crop of young people, which needs to be unearthed. It takes serious minded young people to open up to learning and focusing on adding value to themselves instead of focusing on money as a deterrent to reaching their goals in life.'

Mr Atiemo shared his own practical experience of not allowing his poor background from Jamestown, a very poor community, to deter him from developing his talents.

He narrated how he worked hard to write and publish his own book:'Embracing Your Inner Courage, 'and developed a project with sex workers using only $ 20 but which is now a project worth more than $ 500,000.

Mr Atiemo exhorted young people to rise up to the task saying: 'Nothing comes easy but if your purpose is clear. The clearer you are about your dream, the better you get directed towards its success, because life is a business and must run as a business to make profitable impact.'

He acknowledged the partnership with the British Council and Barclays as an important step in the right direction, which would help BUFIA to achieve the goal.

A beneficiary graduate assigned to BUFIA, Wisdom Kafui Honu, expressed his feelings about the programme saying: 'I'm inspired and motivated by the personal experiences shared Mr Atiemo. It is so real. I can identify myself with him and look forward to his coaching and mentoring process to grow my business. 'I now realise what I have been missing in my business and it is coaching and mentoring support.'

Title sponsors of the Blazing Trail Initiative, Barclays Bank, expressed the bank's commitment to support young people with financial resources during their internship.

Based on the success of the initial programme, which benefitted 5,000 young people, the bank indicated its willingness to invest more into innovative projects through the British Council.

BUFIA) operating under the Bufia Investment Limited, is a creative social enterprise operating a quasi-venture capital financing model - providing young entrepreneurs with the best possible resources including investments, training, networking, enterprise development and ownership, coaching, mentorship, internship and new venture financing, to help turn

their innovative ideas into profitable businesses and increase their employability success rate.

GNA