Young entrepreneurs:

YESL introduces several programs

Harshini PERERA

Sri Lankan children are talented to be future entrepreneurs once they acquire the necessary capacities.

Young entrepreneurs get less information on how to start their own business from the Government offices, Young Entrepreneurs Sri Lanka (YESL) President Patrick Amarasinghe said at the press conference on Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010 falling in November each year.

As an attempt to bridge this gap, YESL has introduced several programs to inspire young entrepreneurs. Among these programs, High School Company Program has attracted the attention of many and proved successful by winning awards.

YESL is a non profit organization by Guarantee, Member/Franchise Holder of Junior Achievement Worldwide conducting practical business, economics and entrepreneurship education programs in schools since 1998. The Education Minister has approved this program.

YESL is dedicated to inspire and educate students to be workforce ready and entrepreneurial through programs oriented towards students in Primary, Middle School and High School levels. Specialized programs are available in different business areas which add value to students by assisting them identifying their strengths and future careers.

“Considering the challenge the country faces in providing income generating opportunities for youth and making them employable, these practical business, economics and entrepreneurial programs are relevant to the Socio-economic progress of Sri Lanka,” Amarasinghe said.

YESL has introduced a new program on travel and tourism and these programs are available in schools all over the country. The significant quality of this program is that it is conducted in English.

“YESL needs to create more development at the grassroot level and we are at present in the process of educating parents about entrepreneurship. We have started our programs with the Colombo University already,” Amarasinghe said.