Friday, December 20, 2013

US Embassy, Alcantara Foundation train youth for business

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (August 14, 2013) – The US Embassy has partnered with Conrado & Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation (Alcantara Foundation) in training 40 youth leaders from the grassroots for business and trade.
NegosYoungTE, a two-day entrepreneurship boot camp, was designed to enhance business interests of youth participants from this city and Sarangani province thru a series of workshop sessions that encourage innovative approaches and creativity for long-term investment.
Alcantara Foundation executive director Richlie Lyndon Magtulis explained the boot camp is primarily designed for micro, small entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs. He pointed out the youth should have the “heart” in doing business as they are being capacitated into entrepreneurship.
Magtulis also laid down options to them in engaging into business instead and “create employment” for themselves amidst employment crisis that these students might be dealing when they graduate.
The participants are mostly college students who are already into small business like local food products and accessories.
The workshop also introduced interactive sessions on business planning that included aspects in marketing, organization, finance, social desirability and controls where participants are expected to come up with a business plan.
Jessica Mah, CEO of inDinero, a financial management site which creates software to help small businesses better track and manage their finances, will have social media interaction with the participants via Twitter.
Mah was supposed to have personal interaction with the participants but the US Embassy reportedly issued her a travel advisory that cancelled her trip.
Mah, who studied Computer Science at U.C. Berkeley and has been running businesses since she was 13, was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and Inc’s 30 Under 30 lists.
Carmelo Enriquez, project director of Notre Dame Business Resource Center in General Santos City, said thru the boot camp participants would be able to enhance knowledge and skills and could later participate in attaining the so-called “inclusive growth” and generate income and employment with their own small business.
As he said, the Philippines has to achieve “inclusive growth so everyone should be able to benefit from the growth of the economy na hindi ka na maghihintay na mag-trickle down yung benefits. You can create opportunities for yourselves.”  For more news and updates, please visit the <a href= http://www.sarangani.gov.ph/ > Province of Sarangani </a> (Beverly C. Paoyon/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

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