Over fifty youth drawn from the various Youth Associations in the Ahafo area have benefited from a two day leadership, entrepreneurship and skill development training, held in Sunyani.

The two day training, which was fully sponsored by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited-Ahafo Mine, was held in collaboration with Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), a Non-Governmental Youth development Organization.

The programme was tailored to meet specific leadership needs of the executives. They were taken through topics such as Setting the pace, Leadership phenomenon and Key Elements, Youth and Governance Facets, Youth Peer Mediation, Conflict Resolution and Dialogue.

Participants were from the Kenyasi No 1&2, Ntotroso, Gyedu, Wamahinso, Yamfo, Susuanso, Afirisipakrom, Terchire and Adrobaa communities – all within the catchment area of Newmont Ahafo mine.

The most unique component of the programme was the introduction of practical employable skills acquisition which included training the youth Leaders on the production or assembling of gas operated Pop-corn machine, Electronic billboard, conversion of ‘Chalewate’ (Flip-flop) into a casual Footwear and the demonstration of how to tie ‘Gele’ scarf (A traditional Nigerian headgear).

The second phase of the workshop, scheduled for September is to build the capacity of the Youth Associations on how to source for funds to run their chosen projects in the communities.

The Acting Community Relations Manager-Newmont Ahafo mine, Charles Kwame Yeboah said “It’s Newmont’s commitment to develop our people in pursuit of excellence”.

He reiterated the company’s commitment to partner non-governmental Organizations and institutions of learning to provide capacity building opportunities for its host communities. He therefore encouraged the participants to put the skills acquired from the workshop to the benefits of themselves, their communities and the nation as a whole.

Seth Oteng, Executive Director, Youth Bridge Foundation, lauded Newmont for the initiative and urged the company to engage the youth in diverse fields of employable skills to ease their employment expectations.

Mr. Oteng said the collaboration between Youth Bridge and Newmont is worthwhile and urged other corporate institutions to take a cue from it and train young people in their communities.**