Sharma meets beneficiaries of Youth Credit Initiative

Paul Leonard began his entrepreneurial career selling popsicles in his local community. This worked well until electricity arrived in people’s homes and there was suddenly less demand for his cold snacks.

This prompted Paul, to change track and become a photographer. Again, this venture was initially promising until digital cameras became commonplace and demand for his skills withered.

Looking back at these early efforts, Paul, who lives in Alness, a village in the heart of the County of Berbice on Guyana’s east coast, admits that although he was turning over a small profit, he never understood the true cost of running a business.

Then when he was 29 he was given a loan from the Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative (CYCI) to set up a bakery.

As well as providing loans the CYCI also provides training, education and business support to entrepreneurs. After it was piloted in Guyana, India, Solomon Islands and Zambia, the initiative has since been replicated in a further 12 countries. In India alone, more than 1,000 businesses have been set up as a result of loans from this initiative.

Through support from the CYCI, Paul’s bakery has gone from strength to strength. Even after a fire last year destroyed both his business and his home, he has rebuilt the damaged property and continues to supply a large number of local customers.

Paul’s testimony was one of ten heard by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma on a visit to the Commonwealth Youth Programme’s Caribbean Centre on 4 July 2009.

As well as meeting beneficiaries of the CYCI, Mr Sharma also heard from Alex Foster, President of the Saint Francis Community, a non-governmental organisation, which is the three times winner of the Commonwealth Youth Service Awards and frequent partner of the Commonwealth Youth Programme in the Caribbean. They discussed potential projects the Commonwealth could initiate to continue helping young people in the region.

He also met with 20-year-old Shellon Spencer, one of the Commonwealth’s Youth Ambassadors for Positive Living.

Commonwealth youth ambassadors - many of whom are HIV positive – have been trained to communicate with their peers about HIV and AIDS. They do this formally in schools and informally through the communities they live in, bringing messages of prevention, determination, compassion and acceptance.

“Many of the young people I tutor have no dreams and goals so they lead lives that put them at risk of HIV/AIDS,” she said.

“We must continue raising awareness of HIV until all of the stigma and discrimination across the world is destroyed.”

Mr Sharma observed that half of the Commonwealth’s population worldwide is under 25 years of age, and that the Commonwealth Secretariat has a responsibility to do all it possibly can to give young people the opportunities in life to realise their full potential.

“The Secretary-General does not often get the opportunity to meet CYCI beneficiaries on the ground. Such visits are always a huge reality check for me and assist me in understanding the scope and effectiveness of the Commonwealth’s current work, and in thinking how our work can be further strengthened to remain relevant and beneficial,” he said.

“We must continue our efforts to ensure that there is a seamless link between education and skills training for young people and assistance such as access to credit and mentoring that is required to support a flourishing spirit of entrepreneurship amongst young people.”

Secretariat Links:

• Country Profile: Guyana
• Youth Programme