NGO to guarantee loans for the youth

Some youth in the country could benefit from a window of opportunity once plans by Eye of The Child to launch a loan guarantee programme with some banks rolls out.

This is under the institution’s service learning programme which empowers fresh graduates and secondary school leavers to become entrepreneurs.

Executive Director of Eye of the Child, Maxwell Matewere, said in an interview that the launch of the facility is expected in November

He said the organisation has partnered with some banks to finance a Youth Service Fund that will provide capital to youth with innovative business projects.

“The youth will be provided with t raining before they get the loans,” said Matewere.

He said the Youth Finance Fund entails identifying viable entrepreneurship ideas by the youth that will undergo the coaching and will be mentored before they receive guaranteed loans from the banks.

“We’ll deposit some money in the banks that will act as guarantee while the youth access the loans but there will be a process of capacity building that will make them qualify to receive the loans,” said Matewere.

He said about 200 youths are expected to benefit from this year’s coaching sessions in Lilongwe and Blantyre with some of them being assisted to be entrepreneurs while others will be absorbed into the labour market.

(Visited 10 times, 10 visits today)