Smedi takes entrepreneurship talk to college students
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Institute (Smedi) says the country needs some “great mindset change” among students pursuing education for jobs.
Smedi argued that harnessing an entrepreneurship spirit is key to turning around the country’s ailing economy.
Smedi regional manager (Centre) Boardingtone Msulira made the remarks yesterday during motivational talks at Don Bosco Technical College in Area 23, Lilongwe. The talks sought to inspire the youth to venture into entrepreneurship.
He said the country’s education system has, for a long time, been crafted to prepare learners for ‘white collar’ jobs, leaving some sectors vital for economic growth untapped.
Msulira said: “Without basic entrepreneurial skills such as financial management, jobs can be meaningless. Everyone needs to embrace some saving culture and plan ahead. Otherwise, many people think life revolves around formal employment alone and that they cannot do without one.”
One of the renowned entrepreneurs in Lilongwe, Ngawayira Chatata, a social sciences major from Chancellor College but excelling in farming, challenged the students to believe in themselves and their dreams; saying the past was never a guarantee of the future.
“Others may have some ready start-up capital from their homes, but with no business skills, that business enterprise won’t be sustainable. It is as good as a hand-out,” he said.
Smedi’s core mandate includes promoting the development and growth of sustainable micro, small and medium enterprises in Malawi.
