Youth unemployment and exclusion in policy decision-making processes are critical development challenges in Lesotho. The country's population, which constitutes about 40% of the productive asset- human capital remains disenfranchised.
The efforts to ease the challenges of integrating youth into the labour market through the promotion of self-employment placed much emphasis on enterprise development, culminating with different programmes such as the Employment Promotion Project (YEP) and others, evidenced by the financial subvention the government makes aimed at enterprise development and alleviation of poverty.
Democracy Works Foundation (DWF) under the Putting Youth and Women at the Centre of Inclusive Economic Growth (PYWEIG) framework, in collaboration with the Financial Services Volunteer Corp (FSVC), is implementing capacity-building interventions aimed at strengthening inclusive, transparent, corrupt-free, responsive, good governance and policy-processes around socio-economic development, employability and policy development.
Within this framework, DWF and FSVC have organised a training workshop on "Enhancing Participatory Governance processes around Resource Allocation, Budget Planning and Forecasting for inclusive and equitable enterprise Development within government-line ministries and Parastatals, including CSOs.
The intervention seeks to promote accountability, good governance, and participatory governance in the enterprise development sector, enhancing responsive business support services in Lesotho, promoting anti-corruption efforts, and promoting effective and equal distribution of resources to build the enterprise ecosystem.
It has been an incredibly insightful and empowering experience hosting the two-and-a-half-day training workshop on resource allocation, budget planning, and forecasting, along with engaging in a dialogue session on enhancing inclusive and responsive business support services in Butha-Buthe, Leribe and Maseru districts in Lesotho focusing on women and youth stakeholders. The diversity of participants, including Business Development Service providers, enterprise-focused Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and women and youth CSOs, truly enriched these discussions.
"As a participant, I truly appreciate the organisers for orchestrating such a valuable event. The interactive nature of the sessions, coupled with real-world examples and case studies, made the learning experience both engaging and practical. I leave this workshop equipped with theoretical knowledge and practical insights that I believe will significantly contribute to my role in promoting development and inclusivity in Lesotho," -
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The acknowledgement that resources are inherently limited heightened our awareness of the importance of strategic allocation. The discussions prompted us to rethink our approaches and find innovative solutions to maximise the impact of the available resources. The emphasis on inclusivity and responsiveness in business support services for women and youth was particularly inspiring. It highlighted the need for tailored strategies considering these demographics' unique challenges and opportunities.
"I would like to express my gratitude to our team, facilitators, and participants for making these workshops and dialogues a resounding success. I am confident that the knowledge gained here will have a ripple effect, positively influencing our endeavours to create a more inclusive and responsive business environment for women and youth in Lesotho," concluded
These workshops successfully delved into the practical aspects of addressing budget planning, forecasting, and resource allocation challenges. The intricate details of aligning these aspects with policy forecasting and their impact on the distribution of scarce resources for development were also thoroughly explored. Not just theoretical, these sessions provide nuts and bolts tools to help participants navigate the complexities of these issues.
