The Paramount Chief of Iteso Cultural Union, His Highness Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng addressed the crowd of youth who gathered at the main hall of Soroti Senior Secondary School to attend the Ateker Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium on Saturday 27th January 2024, the first of its kind.
The turn up came from over 18 districts of Teso and Karamoja Sub – Regions to brainstorm on the best approaches of how the youth can rapidly occupying the diverse entrepreneurship space and highly take part in the money economy.
Being the Chief Guest, Emorimor was pleased with the massive turn up of the youth and associated it with their willingness to build the wealthy Ateker.
He started his speech by referring to the story of his humble beginning where he was retailing Groundnuts along the streets of Busia and Malabo during the earlier times of 1970s.
“I want to advice you my dear children to be aggressive, sharp and hardworking if you want to get wealthy, begin small and humble, but be determined if you want to reach far.” he said.
Emorimor urged the young entrepreneurs to adopt the saving culture so that their businesses can be fully sustainable and gainfully enlarge.
He also tipped the young people to invest more in Agriculture as a backup for their small businesses.
“There is much money in commercial Agriculture for example, growing Onions, tomatoes, Cassava among others, especially here in Teso where the soils are very fertile and vastly available.”
Papa Iteso also pronounced his plans to introduce coffee farming in Teso as an equitable means of delivering the region out of the impoverish state.
“I have also noticed that coffee can do very well with our soils and this is driving me to introduce coffee farming in Teso, as an institution, we are now at the final stages of consultations as we seek to begin the establishments of coffee farms in the region.”
“I therefore urge you the young people to aggressively capture every opportunity that comes your way in order to be successful entrepreneurs.”
“Lets get out today and go to look for money, stop sleeping, wake up and make money.” he said.
He also discouraged the youth from involving themselves into drug abuse, alcoholism, betting and other non productive activities, rather focus on creating jobs by being innovative.
