An agreement to this extent was signed by YSESF Vice-chairman Prof Dr Punya Prasad Regmi and Shiva Prasad Aryal, country director of Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Nepal, says a statement issued by the Employment Fund. The cooperation, under which loans will be extended to jobless youths between 18 and 50, will be initially valid till the end of 2013.[break]
Following this signing of the pact, the YSESF and Helvetas Nepal are planning to soon launch pilot projects in 20 districts of the country. These districts include: Ilam and Jhapa in the eastern, Sarlahi, Bara, Parsa, Chitwan and Kavrepalanchowk in the central region, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Syangja and Kaski in the western region, Banke, Bardiya, Mugu, Jumla, Rukum and Surkhet in mid-western region, and Kailali and Kanchanpur in far-western region.
Once the pilot projects are launched, the YSESF will recommend its partner banks and financial institutions or intermediaries to extend loans to jobless youths who wish to start business of their own, the statement says. “Such recommendations will be made based on approval extended by a training and employment unit under Helvetas Nepal,” the statement further says.
If implementation of these programs turns out to be successful, they will be extended to other districts of the country, the statement says.
For effective implementation of pilot projects in 20 districts, a four-member coordination committee has been formed under the YSESF vice chairman. Other members of the committee include YSESF executive director and two representatives from Helvetas Nepal, the statement says.
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