Global Youth Enterprise Conference
Chandula to speak at Washington DC:
Deputy General Manager - Marketing and Retail Banking of Hatton
National Bank and concurrently Chairman of Banking With the Poor Network
(BWTP) and the Chairman of Lanka Financial Services for Underserved
Settlements (LFSUS, UNHABITAT project), Chandula Abeywickrema has been
invited to speak as a leading expert and practitioner in Microfinance at
the Global Youth Enterprise Conference to be held on September 29 and 30
at the George Washington University in Washington D.C.
Chandula Abeywickrema |
Making Sense International, a global leader in linking youth to
microfinance is organising the conference. Making Sense International is
committed to continuing the legacy of improving skills and economic
opportunities for individual, communities at global levels.
They specialise in consulting and training to equip youth with a
vision by giving them confidence and skills to create and grow their own
businesses. The conference convened by Making Sense International brings
together Practitioners, Educationalists, Representatives of the Private
Sector and Government Sectors and other partners in youth enterprise,
employment and livelihood development.
The 2009 Global Youth Enterprise conference will be a great
opportunity with Abeywickrema expected to share his knowledge and
expertise and also exchange ideas with many other experts and
practitioners, that can indeed benefit many developing countries since
the conference will focus on nearly 1.5 Bn youth population in the
world, nearly 90 percent of this live in the developing countries, where
many are unable to secure decent work as youth and are on an average
three times more likely to be unemployed as adults in the years to come.
The world youth population grew by nearly 11 percent while youth
employed only grew by 0.2 percent. The International Labour Organisation
has also estimated that another one billion will enter the world’s
labour market and it is highly unlikely that enough jobs will be created
to employ the number of job seekers, who will enter the labour market.
The conference is very timely as the world is experiencing an
employment crisis. It is critical that multi-sectoral communities
identify and pursue innovative approaches in creating economic and
entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth.
Abeywickrema’s knowledge and expertise will be of immense benefit at
the conference to show the path on how focussed areas of linking youth
to financial services. |