Executive Director of the Digicel Foundation, Major General Robert Neish, has hailed a five-day youth entrepreneurial camp held in Moorlands, Manchester, as "a resounding success that will empower several generations of students and parents with great entrepreneurial and business skills".

The camp was funded by the Digicel Foundation and ran for five days from April 26 to 30.

Participants were engaged in activities such as team-building skills and the formulation and presentation of business plans. The initiative is also part of an overall six-phase youth entrepreneurial programme established by the Mutual Building Societies Foundation (MBSF) - a joint venture between the Victoria Mutual Building Society and Jamaica National Building Society called the centres of excellence that is aimed at training and developing high-school students with the skill sets needed to start and maintain their own businesses.

Neish further noted that "we are passionate about the empowerment and education of our youths which is evident in the projects that we have embarked on since our launch in 2004; the most recent being our Mobile Enrichment Cart initiative that is now being used across 20 primary schools in Jamaica to boost literacy and numeracy at the primary level".

Dr Renee Rattray, programme Manager at the MBSF, echoed similar sentiments to that of Neish. "The students were filled with excitement and anticipation; they were fully engaged in the team building activities which promoted an exchange of ideas, experiences and aspirations," she said.

The camp saw more than 100 students from six centers of excellence schools and 13 teachers being immersed in extensive and interactive training on new skill sets and plans that will be used to allow them to create business opportunities for themselves.