SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, a non-governmental organization, has held a day’s training programme for its 2013 interns in Accra.

The training was aimed at building the capacity of the graduates to render key development services to some communities across the country. Beneficiaries included university graduates, who were selected from various institutions, after interviews.

The 16 selected graduates out of over hundred applicants for this years’ programme are expected to serve in three specific sectors, including renewable energy, water, sanitation & hygiene and agriculture (fruits, vegetables and oil seeds) in some localities across the country.

Addressing the graduates, the Country Director for SNV, Mr. Amagoin Keita, indicated that the human capital in Africa comprises young people, and that informed SNV’s decision to offer them opportunities and professional platform to help improve their lives.

Mr Keita said: “We want to expose the youth to the reality of your own country because when you become rich and the rest of the people are poor, there will be a problem in the entire nation.

“This training is to help you dedicate yourselves by sharing your knowledge and ideas that you have acquired in your education to serve your own people and country,” he stressed.

The facilitator of the training programme, who doubles as the Founder and Director of Gateway 4 Youth, an NGO whose mission is to unlock potentials and opportunities for young people, Mr Samuel Paulos, mentioned that SNV’s ambition is in line with his organization, which seeks to empower the youth and achieve success in their fields of endeavours.

Mr Paulos submitted: “I am particularly excited about SNV’s programme, all I want to see is they [interns] succeed in this programme, and become successful in life”.

He, however, urged all the beneficiaries to take their assignments seriously, and not hesitate to ask questions when certain things are not clear to them.

On his part, Mr. Alex Korsah, an official of SNV Ghana who was a product of the internship programme, explained that SNV is dedicated to a society that enjoys the freedom to pursue its own sustainable development.

“Since its existence in 1992, capacity building and advisory services has been the core of service delivery, SNV has its own unique approach to capacity building and advisory services”.

According to Mr Korsah, this unique service has been developed based on years of learning and experiences in Organizational System Development (OSD).

As a result, SNV seeks to build capacity of interns specifically for the type of advisors it requires and also towards the development of Ghana’s human capital.

He also submitted that after the six months internship programme, SNV will evaluate the graduates and offer full time employment to deserving once.

The beneficiaries expressed their optimism on SNV’s initiative and pledged to deliver to the best of their ability when posted to their respective communities.