Mahendranath Busgopaul, Country Coordinator

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YES Mauritius Network

• Mahendranath Busgopaul, Country Coordinator
• Mentorship Pilot Programme for Young
  Entrepreneurs

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Description of Project

• Target Group
• Private sector businesses and young entrepreneurs
  
• Rationale for Intervention
• Enable small scale businesses to contribute to
  the economic situation of the country
• Provide a linkage between private sector and
  young entrepreneurs to facilitate sharing of
  resources
• Project Goals
• To increase the productivity of youth enterprises
  by providing a mentorship programme
• Respond to aspirations of young entrepreneurs
• Offer role models from private businesses
• Build and develop capacity of young entrepreneurs

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• Project Design Principles
• Establishment of a framework to ensure
  sustainability and growth of businesses supported
  by the programme
• Select youth enterprises that are viable and
  provide mentors with clients that have a
  reasonable prospect of success
• Ensure that mentors are qualified and experienced
  to support the business
• A Conflict-free environment between mentors and
  young entrepreneurs
• Mentors are a point of reference when
  entrepreneurs need advice and business support
• Project Duration
• The mentorship programme shall run for a period
  of one year as a pilot.
• Project Inputs
• Youth Development Network
• Private sector in Mauritius
• YES Mauritius Network

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Project Cycle

• Conceptualization
• The Youth Development Network (YDN) developed a
  framework for the implementation of the programme
  in five countries in the SADC region including
  Mauritius.
• YDN and YES Mauritius believe young entrepreneurs
  need experienced businessmen to assist them
  navigate their way.
• Incentives for mentors include Mentor
  recognition at the end of the programme.
• Protégés will be streamlined to benefit from
  government loans to expand their businesses
  through YES Mauritius structures.

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Implementation

• Implementation
• The YES Mauritius Network, which comprises of 7
  national organisations, implemented the
  mentorship programme in Mauritius.
• YES Mauritius identified, recruited the mentors
  and protegés. Our staff provided the necessary
  advice to encourage the young entrepreneurs to
  get involved in the project. The initiation of
  the programme to other para-statal bodies was
  also important to have more people tied to the
  project.

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• The launch and opening ceremony of the mentorship
  programme was done by the Vice President of the
  Republic of Mauritius amidst other key
  personalities of the Republic and the Director of
  YDN.
• After the launch, YES-Mauritius conducted a 3
  day training programme for the mentors which was
  facilitated by one staff of YDN. After the
  training of mentors, there were orientation
  sessions for the protegés, carried out by YES
  Mauritius

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What are the results?

• Numbers of persons reached by the activities?
• 8 Mentors ( 3 ladies and 5 men) from the private
  sector in Mauritius
• Age range 35 50 years committed for the
  one year
• Mentors expertise range from aluminum
  manufacturing to import/export businesses.
• 8 young entrepreneurs
• Age range 20 to 30 years
• Location rural and urban region
• Response from Community
• The project has been going on for almost 7
  months, and YES Mauritius has come up with the
  following responses from the community
• Government officials look the project as an
  enthusiastic one as it contributes positively
  towards the economy
• Private sector are willing to release their staff
  to contribute towards capacity building purposes
• Young entrepreneurs feel more confident and they
  are now acquainted with their respective mentors

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YES Framework for Action
Employability The young entrepreneurs are
working with their mentors who are involved in a
separate field of work compared to the protegés
area of work. The mentors impart their skills to
the protegés for example, placement of goods in
tourist area to boost up sales. Employment
Creation The result of this pilot project will
culminate in the creation of employment for
additional young people Equity Equity has
always been a major concern at YES Mauritius.
Among our mentors and protegés, there are 6
females in total and given that Mauritius is a
multi racial country, our mentors and protegés
come from different religion and ethnic groups.
We are providing the same facilities and advice
irrespective of the protegés age
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• Entrepreneurship Young people are encouraged to
  start to gain knowledge of entrepreneurial
  skills. This is being facilitated by skilled
  business people through the mentorship pilot
  project in Mauritius.
• Environmental Sustainability The mentors are
  looking closely about the environment aspect so
  as to make sure they do not go against the
  Ministry of Environment Regulations.
• Empowerment
• Plans for the future (eg. Scale up, new goals for
  the YES Network based on experience)
• As the programme reaches its end, young
  entrepreneurs will act as agents to impart
  business skills to potential young people with
  the same mindset.

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Challenges and lessons learned

• Problems Faced
• Difficulties we had to undergo
• Protegés Reluctant to venture with strangers in
  business matters as it is seen as a private and
  personal matter. However, with the network staff
  and advice, we recruited around 10 protegés at
  the outset but afterwards some relinquished the
  programme.
• Mentors Lack of free to time to get engaged in
  community programme. The concept of volunteering
  business skills is still new
• What new knowledge has been generated based on
  experiences?
• Additional employment opportunities in small
  businesses will be created
• A positive impact in the surrounding community
  through expanding small
• businesses competencies and capabilities
• Development of a cooperative working environment
  among large and small businesses.