377 Migrant Returnees Skillfully Trained Through Tekki-Fii Program
Three hundred and seventy-seven migrant returnees have been skillfully trained with reintegration assistance through the Tekki-Fii platform.
The Tekki-fii program that has been in existence for the past three-years, which is at its last year program, has distributed over one hundred million dalasi for grants and start-up support to youth organizations and individuals who ventured in to entrepreneurship, skills among others.
Thirteen million dalasi of private capital were unlocked for young entrepreneurs through the Tekki-fii Mini Loan scheme and Gambia Angel Investors Network established and two investments
Facilitated.
The “Tekkii-fii” Program was funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUT) with itsgoals to improve economic development and prospects for The Gambia’s youth, including returning migrants, by promoting attractive employment and income opportunities.
The implementing partners of Tekki-fii program includes, ITC, IMVF, ENABEL, YEP and GIZ, a program targeting regions across the country, for youth groups, especially returnees and those not in education, employment or training.
The Tekki-fii partners worked with partners across different sectors to achieve shared goals in the areas of Agribusiness, Horticulture, Poultry, Tourism & Creative Industries, Information and Communication Technology and Sports.
The Tekki-fii program which is a three-year program started in 2019 and will be facing out December, 2022, was designed to help youths to make it in the Gambia and discourage illegal migrations.
However, the objectives of the Tekki-fii Program was also to support the Gambia government to boost economic development with focus on entrepreneurship, skills and small business support for young people.
Going through the achievements registered by theTekki-fii program, Madam FatouMbengaJallow, a senior staff at Tekki-fii said the program has supported about seven thousand four hundred and forty-seven young Gambians in skills training.
“41 partnerships were supported with skill training and business support organizations. 29 new standards and curricula developed were supported in entrepreneurship, agribusiness, tourism, ICT, construction and creative industries. 377 migrant returnees were supported through skills training and reintegration assistance,” she said.
Madam Mbenga-Jallow added that the Tekki-fii program also conducted business trainers and coaches training for 285 people. She added that six thousand, three hundred and twenty-one young people received career guidance and counselling during the implementation of the Tekki-fii program.
She pointed that in 2022,Tekki-fii program was able to create 9535 jobs, 4821 small businesses supported or sustained, 7447 youths supported with skills training, 124 hectares of land were improved and 41 partnerships and local organizations were supported to strengthen their training capacities.
Madam Mbengaalso said more than one hundred young poultry farmers were supported with training, advisory and access to finance and that youth and women group were also supported with poultry inputs, a small-scale slaughter unit, freezers and marketing unit.
“Curriculum on poultry farming was developed and four training institutions were supported in implementation. Department of Livestock was also supported with lab equipment and data collection materials,” she said.
Madam MbengaJallow told the young people in the Upper River Region that though, the Tekki-fii program faces out in December,they are expected to use the skills they acquired to continue with their business and other trades.
She said that the end of the Tekki-fii program does not necessarily mean that life has ended, and that the beneficiaries should be able to continue with their business and grow from one stage to another.
BuramaDampha, a young Agro-business entrepreneur confirmed the Tekki-fii program to have pushed his business to another level, and that he currently has four Centers within the Upper River Region and the Central River Region.
He informed the Tekki-Fii and partners that he is currently able to employ five staff who are working under him, withexpansions tohis business which gave his business an international face. “I have now signed a business deal with a business tycoon in Mali,” he said.
As a young entrepreneur,Mr Dampha applauded the Tekki-fii program for providing him with certain skills through trainings and the mini grant support given to him through thepackage.
