The Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) Association of East Africa, a beneficiary of an ILO Youth Entrepreneurship Facility (YEF) programme, has scooped the 2016 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, presented at a recent ceremony organized by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The Association was established in 2015 to sustain the ILO`s work done under the above YEF project, sought to create as many enterprises of new and better jobs for young men and women in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Speaking after receiving the award, the General Secretary and one of the founders of the association, Mr. Lawrence Ambokile said it is the first time for the association to win such an award, which means a lot to them. He further dedicated it to ILO and all others who supported them from the scratch.
“Being licensed by ILO as a master trainer to train youth on how to start and improve their businesses was a great step for me and the other members…through the YEF programme we got the right skills, which we are using to train others…we are grateful to the ILO.” he stated.
He further mentioned the various components within their training package including - on how to generate a business idea, how to start business, preparing a business plan and how to improve your business and marketing.
According to him the association has approximately 100 members who are active and this award will always act as a reminder to them that they will need to work harder so as to accomplish their intended objectives, thereby continue to defend the award in the coming years.
“Truly, this is an achievement but we must join our efforts together as an association to defend it in the coming years…It’s our intention to win the Employer of the Year Award in future”. he added.
The ATE annual awards are geared towards promoting and encouraging best human resources management practices, in a bid to enhance organizational productivity and competitiveness, which in turn would translate into wealth creation. Other award categories included on - human resource practices, employer engagement, staff training and development, employee relations and HIV interventions and corporate social responsibility.
Background Information
The Youth Entrepreneurship Facility (YEF) was a regional project implemented by ILO in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, with the main objective of contributing to the creation of decent work for youth both as means of self-employment and as job creation for others.
During 2010/2015 the project reached over 30,000 emerging and existing young entrepreneurs through business development training and supported the start-up and growth of over 17,000 youth led businesses creating about 40,000 jobs for young people.
