Many more youths in the region are due for PIAASI sponsorship this year.
Some 300 youths in the Littoral Region who received government financing for micro projects in 2015 created over 1,600 jobs. The Technical Secretary of the Support Programme for the Informal Sector, PIAASI, in the Littoral Region, Ghislaine Ndjoungou, made the disclosure at an evaluation meeting in Bonanjo-Douala recently on the sidelines of activities marking Youth Week.
The projects include restaurants, plantation agriculture, livestock and fish farming and hairdressing. In readiness for this financial year, 1,000 applications are awaiting selection and disbursement of funds. The objective is to finance income-generating activities to enable youths settle down. PIAASI intends to finance more projects this year as well as organise workshops to train or upgrade the managerial skills of beneficiaries.
“Where these skills are lacking, businesses crumble. It is for this reason that last year some beneficiaries were unable to refund money they received from PIAASI through the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training,” the Technical Secretary explained. In spite of the many training sessions held, some beneficiaries did not participate, he noted.
Nevertheless, 80 per cent of the financing for 2015 - usually given in the form of micro loans - was recovered thanks to a commission created for the purpose. Ghislaine Ndjoungou disclosed that they intend to recover over 90 per cent in 2016. In order to achieve the target, the programme has reduced from 15 to 6 months, the period beneficiaries start paying back. It has also involved municipal councils in granting and recovering loans. This is because councils are close to the people and know those who are reliable and trustworthy in managing income-generating projects.
