Graduates from vocational schools will be given priority in the upcoming Business Plan Competition conducted annually by Private Sector Federation (PSF). The competition is scheduled for September.

This was disclosed by Antoine Manzi, Director of Entrepreneurship in the PSF.

"We are seeking to give priority to vocational graduates in the business plan competition this year to promote technical businesses,” he said.

Unlike in the previous years, the business competitions the average and uneducated would be eligible to compete after being equipped with business plan writing skills.

But Manzi stressed that this time the federation will be considering university students.

"We are also mostly considering university students to inculcate job creation,” he said.

Also different from the previous years, the number of finalists has been doubled to 100.

But the previous $20, 000 (Rwf10m) grant plus start up loan of $10, 000 given as awards to each finalist was slashed to $22, 000.

"We decreased the money with am aim of increasing the beneficiaries,” Manzi said.

The BPC is aimed at inculcating the culture of starting businesses with a long term vision of achieving a private sector led economy.

Manzi also disclosed that besides the competition PSF has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bank Populaire to ease access of credit to private sector.It is the second bank after Commercial Bank of Rwanda. [BCR]

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