By Patience Narkie Dede Narwortey (UniMAC-IJ, Faculty of Journalism)
Unemployment among youth has become a pressing global issue especially in Ghana. There are millions of graduates struggling to find decent jobs after spending years in the classroom. The Unemployed youth start to blame the government for the situation. However, entrepreneurship offers solution to this social menace.
Entrepreneurship is the ability to turn ideas to reality to impact lives. Most youths have neglected the idea of creating their own jobs with little or no capital, they all want to sit in officers and be paid monthly. Notwithstanding, some youths are doing so well with their own business. In an interview with some youth entrepreneurs, they share that it is good for all students to have a skill or handiworks aside school.
Portia Ofori, a level 300 student of UNIMAC, says that she obtained vocational beauty training a year after completing senior high school before her admission into tertiary. She explained that undergoing training to become a masseuse, makeup artiste and a braider has helped her in times of financial struggles. “I am also an actress and I sell waist beads and ladies under wares” she said.
Portia added that her capital for the waist beads business was just 100 Ghana cedis but ended up with a profit of 600 Ghana cedis. She advised that every youth should invest in getting a skill and becoming their own boss.
In the era where social media has become so popular, it is best that the youth use it to their advantage. There are so many online training and businesses that will help the youth to have their own business. These businesses do not necessary need capital to start.
Caris London, the CEO of Love’s Import says that she started her business with no capital. “I created a pre-order group on WhatsApp and posted items that people would want to import from China. When I began I had just one person ordering from me but as time went on, I have lots of people ordering every month” She added.
Caris explained that despite the fact that it takes 2 months for the items to be shipped over sea to Ghana and other challenges faced in the business, she still makes profit. She ended by recommending that the youth should not give up and be consistent in their business and be mindful of online scam.
Youth around the world should change their narratives about entrepreneur and developed the passion for creating their own businesses. As the CEO of sweet yoghurt, I made profit that twice the amount of my capital after my first order. Entrepreneurship comes with risk taking but entrepreneurs are to think critically to curb those crises. Entrepreneurship indeed is the antidote for unemployment.
