The President of the Chamber Of Commerce and Industry Timor-Leste (CCI-TL) Julio Alvaro says they have established a commerce centre to build the capacity of young people who want to start their own business. 
He said the program was the first step for CCI-TL to identify young people in order to encourage them to participate in the development process.
He said the commerce centre would gather young people who want to start a business and surround them with the experts, so they would be motivated and supported by successful businessmen.
“The centre for young people will be supported by specialists running activities in selected areas because currently they feel alone, so it’s difficult,” President CCI-TL Alvaro said at the launch of the centre in Akait, Dili.
He added the participants would get a certificate and funding assistance from the government so they could start implementing the business they select.
He said CCI-TL, through international donors, promised to continue holding innovative programs in the future to prepare young people to be a creative and create work for themselves and for other young people.
This centre will receive all people who want to involve themselves in business, with no limitations on young people’s participation.
Meanwhile the Secretary of State for the Support and Promotion of the Private Sector Veneranda Lemos said Timor-Leste as a new country needed to have a commerce centre to prepare young people to invest in the country.
Therefore, she called on CCI-TL to collaborate with the institution IADE to better develop the program to prepare young people for the future, as they also have a similar program.
“We will facilitate and give funding for young businesspeople, and for those who’ve just begun we can give them funding to bring the name of their business forward,” SE Lemos said.
Business student Mateus Lima Soares said he appreciated the program as it was the first time the CCI-TL and the government implemented it to give opportunities to young people.
“This phase can open opportunities for the youth who have a good capacity and creativity in openening a business by themselves to be independent, rather than dependent to the government,” he said.
