hirty-two students across Guyana celebrated the successful completion of the Young Entrepreneur Smart Start (YESS) Programme on Saturday, as they graduated from the Ministry of Education and ActionCOACH Guyana’s entrepreneurship initiative designed to equip youth with practical business, leadership and life skills.
The graduation ceremony brought together students, parents, educators, Ministry of Education representatives, facilitators and special guests to recognize the achievements of the graduates who completed the 12-week programme. The event highlighted the students’ commitment to personal growth, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, leadership, and innovation.
The YESS Programme, delivered through a partnership between ActionCOACH Guyana and the Ministry of Education, provides young people with access to globally recognized entrepreneurial education at no cost. Throughout the programme, participants engaged in interactive lessons, practical assignments, business planning exercises and personal development activities aimed at preparing them for future success.
During the ceremony, attendees heard remarks from Tatianna Elcock, Chief Training Officer, who welcomed graduates and encouraged them to continue applying the lessons learned throughout the programme. Premendra Parsan, YESS Programme Facilitator, provided an overview of the programme and reflected on the growth demonstrated by participants over the past several months.
Feature remarks were delivered by Ms. Omwattie Ramdin, Director of NCERD, who emphasized the importance of entrepreneurial thinking, innovation, and leadership among Guyana’s youth as the country continues to develop and diversify its economy.
The audience was also inspired by reflections from graduates Bhumika Mangal and Emma Munro, who shared their experiences and highlighted how the programme helped build confidence, develop business knowledge and strengthen their ability to pursue their goals.
Certificates were presented to all 32 graduates by representatives of the Ministry of Education and programme facilitators, recognizing their successful completion of the programme requirements.
Delivering congratulatory remarks, Olga Gonçalves, President of the YESS Foundation, commended the graduates for their dedication and encouraged them to continue developing their entrepreneurial skills and pursuing opportunities to create positive impact within their communities.
The YESS Programme is part of a global initiative supported by the ActionCOACH Foundation that seeks to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in young people by providing practical business education, leadership development and real-world learning experiences. Participants complete a curriculum covering mindset development, entrepreneurship, goal setting, financial literacy, sales and marketing, customer experience, leadership and business planning. By the end of the programme, students develop a vision board, business plan and business pitch while earning a Business Basics Certificate.
Speaking after the ceremony, programme organizers expressed pride in the graduates and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding opportunities for youth entrepreneurship across Guyana.
“This graduation represents more than the completion of a course; it represents the beginning of a journey. These 32 young people have demonstrated initiative, resilience and a willingness to invest in their futures. We are confident they will become leaders, innovators, and contributors to Guyana’s continued growth,” organizers noted.
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