, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment){kind=link}
Mauritius: The National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, organised, on Saturday, 25 November 2023, at The Core Building in Ebène, the fifth edition of the National Leadership Engine (NLE) Convention to showcase the community-based projects initiated under the NLE 2023 and to reward the winners.
The Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Soomilduth Bholah, the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Darsanand Balgobin, and other personalities were also present at the event.
The NLE aims to grow the leadership potential among youth aged 16 years and above while increasing their capabilities and confidence through training as well as the elaboration and implementation of community-based projects.
The 2023 NLE included a 12-week training in leadership skills for some 250 youths, combining online and practical sessions, with a view to enable them to conceptualise and implement community-based projects in their locality.
In his address, the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives commended the youth for seizing the opportunity of the NLE to boost their entrepreneurial spirit and for their determination to find innovative solutions to social and community issues.
He stated his belief that the NLE enabled young people to become leaders, and he urged them to unleash their potential to strengthen unity, harmony and solidarity in the country.
According to Bholah, the significant contributions of young people, driven by creativity and the determination to be at the forefront of bringing change and innovation, could assist the Government in achieving the country’s required transformation in light of the world’s constantly changing landscape.
He affirmed that the youths were important partners and that the country was counting on them to ensure continued progress and growth.
The Minister was also of the view that entrepreneurship and cooperatives provide a means for young people to start a business and earn a living. He listed the various facilities and measures developed by the Ministry to assist start-ups and enterprises, such as a plethora of training in several fields and a series of financial schemes.
He thus encouraged young people to tap into emerging sectors such as Information Technology, renewable energies, new agricultural techniques in areas like hydroponics and aquaponics, and industry 4.0.
During the NLE Convention 2023, the winner and two runner-up teams, selected out of 10, were awarded cash prizes of Rs 75,000, Rs 50,000, and Rs 25,000, respectively. All participants were handed over a certificate and the best project in each Youth Centre received a trophy. The projects focused, among others, on the environment, mental health, animal welfare and women’s empowerment among others.