TESTIMONY: Young lady in sheep fattening business

I am Jabou Mbye, a female young lady living in Jimbala Kerr Chendu in the Central River Region North. I am into small ruminates- sheep fattening in my village.

I started the business after been awarded with the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP Gambia) Mini Grants Scheme- www.yep.gm. I received forty-seven thousand dalasis only (D47,000.00) to start my business in my native village.

I have also benefitted from the Global Youth Innovation Network Gambia Chapter (GYIN Gambia Chapter)- www.gyingambia.gm National Youth Summer Camp dubbed Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Information Technology (ELIT) from 9^th to 18^th July, 2018 partially funded by YEP Project.

Knowing the importance of entrepreneurship training, I applied for GYIN Gambia Youth Mentorship Programme and I was lucky to be selected among the t50 young entrepreneurs for the six month’s mentorship programme- July to February, 2019. I will be graduating from the six month   mentorship programme on 16^th March, 2019.

The Youth Mentorship Programme on Enterprise Management implemented by GYIN Gambia Chapter and fully funded by YEP Project.

I ventured into sheep fettering because, I have noticed that the business is a profitable one and born in a village where we have sheep, goats and cattle’s, I decide to do the business to create job for myself.

I’m happily doing the business. The business is dominated by men’s- old ones in my area and for me venturing into the has sent signal to young girls in my village that – what a man can do, a woman can do it.

The business, is a profitable one, because, I did my market research before venturing into the business after attending ELIT 2018. It was at ELIT that, I learned more on how to become a successful entrepreneur. I went through market research, knowing your competitor, budgeting and budget forecast.

The youth mentorship has also added a lot of impact on me- I was able to keep proper records of my business and learned more on publicity. I’ll advise my fellow ladies to venture into sheep fattening because it is a profitable business.