Young entrepreneurs have been urged to continuously develop their management skills as this could help improve the performance of their businesses. 

Raymond Muhire, the Business Development Fund (BDF) investment analyst, said understanding issues, like buying, stock control, marketing, costing, record keeping, business planning, people and productivity, is essential for any enterprise to grow and become sustainable.

Muhire was speaking during a one-day training workshop on effective business management and entrepreneurship development in Kigali. The workshop attracted 16 young entrepreneurs from Kigali, and was conducted under the Start and Improve Your Business programme.

Muhire, who is also the Improve Your Business programme trainer, said most businesses collapse before their first birthday because owners lack requisite skills for business management practices.

He challenged the participants to use knowledge and skills acquired during the training to build sound ventures that will create more jobs for other youth.

Ivan Gatete, the manager of Real Furniture Production and one of the trainees, said the programme will help improve the potential of young entrepreneurs, enabling them to operate businesses profitability.

"Though we paid for the training, the knowledge acquired is far more valuable as it will improve our capacity to run the enterprises better, ensuring profitability,” Gatete said after the training on Thursday.

Bob Gaza, the investment analyst for BDF, said the programme focuses on building the capacity and confidence of youth and women to enable them devise strategies that will address challenges they face in their daily operations.

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