Youth entrepreneurship is defined as the “practical application of enterprising qualities, such as initiative, innovation, creativity, and risk-taking into the work environment using appropriate skills necessary for success in that environment and culture”. That means organising wild thoughts, packaging big ideas and managing daily issues in an order can be a good start for a young entrepreneur. The importance of promoting such activity has been realised by the economists of our era, mainly for creating employment opportunities for both the self-employed youth and other young people. Bringing the alienated and marginalised youth into the economic mainstream and helping address some of the socio-psychological problems and delinquency that arise from joblessness is also a vital agenda.
Youth-run enterprises give young people, especially the marginalised, a sense of belonging. Enterprise helps young women and men develop new skills and experiences that can be applied to many other challenges in life. Though education has been highly accessible nationwide, jobs are still a different ball game altogether. A significant number of mainstream youth either drop out or remain unemployed, generating frustration and a feeling of worthlessness. But some of them can swim against the tide despite limitations. Such is the case of Rupom Kumar Sarker of Natore. At the age of 29, he has proven himself to be a frontrunner.
Rupom is an autodidact, which means he “learned on his own”, and it is an extremely demanding and absorptive process. Rupom was not considered a “good student” at school but he was extremely keen on learning new things. He is what we consider “street smart”. His areas of interest include general knowledge, current affairs, history of inventions and technical manuals. Many of his friends were surprised to see his attachment to such knowledge which conflicts his unimpressive results at school. As expected, after passing SSC exam in 2001, Rupom never joined college as he was set to work and earn for his family, which was at that time an inevitable need. His father had a small business of collecting and selling juice of date palm in winter that could hardly meet family expenses. Rupom decided to open up a tea stall with his father in the central part of Natore city. After a year, he wondered was this going to be his future? The answers were clear; his aspiration was bigger and his dreams, untamable. He joined an electrician-mechanic called Harun-Rashid, an old-timer with whom he would worked as an apprentice for a few months. Rupom, adamant to do something meaningful, was a fast learner and started getting shifts for fixation and connection related orders. Rupom was inspired by Harun’s life story and his successful business.
As an electrician, Rupom was doing quite well but the income was still insufficient for the family. In the meantime, the telecom industry was penetrating the local market rapidly and there was a roaring need for cell phone mechanics. Rupom was waiting for something new in which he could uniquely excel in the regional market and thus was interested in mobile phones. He immediately enquired and got enrolled into a three-month training in Dhaka for which he took loan from a community fund (samiti) in his locality. It had cost him 35,000 taka, an amount unimaginable for his family to spend — an investment that does not even assure a confirmed income. But as luck favoured, while training in Dhaka, he got a job as a mechanic at a shop in New Market, which he accepted and joined after the course. Though he was earning well, he realised that all of his money was spent because Dhaka is expensive.
Always with an urge to do something on his own, Rupom came back to Natore with a big plan. He opened his own shop at the Pouro Hawker’s Market in the town area and started providing mechanical solutions for damaged sets. He bought equipment and paid the leasing advance through another loan from the same community fund. In the beginning, he faced many obstacles — starting from his inability of diagnosing complex problems to even compensating for technical mishaps. That made him desperately look for various ways of autonomous learning like internet, different manuals, fix and break through dummy models, and comparative crafting analysis with other mechanics. At one point he became overly dependent to internet tutorials which compelled him to take another loan to buy a PC of his own.
All of these efforts paid off within two years when he started earning enough to pay back his monthly instalments and rents, contribute to family expenses, save for himself and also invest back in business.
Today, he earns enough for a quality living and has two employees whom he is training. He plans to open new shops in other areas as well. He aims to open a training institute for the underprivileged youth of his locality and simultaneously increase the magnitude of his business. Rupom couldn’t finish his studies but he is proud of his sister who is doing her honours (third year) under National University. Two thumbs up to Rupom and his unstoppable zeal for a better life for himself and others.
Youth-run enterprises give young people, especially the marginalised, a sense of belonging. Enterprise helps young women and men develop new skills and experiences that can be applied to many other challenges in life. Though education has been highly accessible nationwide, jobs are still a different ball game altogether. A significant number of mainstream youth either drop out or remain unemployed, generating frustration and a feeling of worthlessness. But some of them can swim against the tide despite limitations. Such is the case of Rupom Kumar Sarker of Natore. At the age of 29, he has proven himself to be a frontrunner.
Rupom is an autodidact, which means he “learned on his own”, and it is an extremely demanding and absorptive process. Rupom was not considered a “good student” at school but he was extremely keen on learning new things. He is what we consider “street smart”. His areas of interest include general knowledge, current affairs, history of inventions and technical manuals. Many of his friends were surprised to see his attachment to such knowledge which conflicts his unimpressive results at school. As expected, after passing SSC exam in 2001, Rupom never joined college as he was set to work and earn for his family, which was at that time an inevitable need. His father had a small business of collecting and selling juice of date palm in winter that could hardly meet family expenses. Rupom decided to open up a tea stall with his father in the central part of Natore city. After a year, he wondered was this going to be his future? The answers were clear; his aspiration was bigger and his dreams, untamable. He joined an electrician-mechanic called Harun-Rashid, an old-timer with whom he would worked as an apprentice for a few months. Rupom, adamant to do something meaningful, was a fast learner and started getting shifts for fixation and connection related orders. Rupom was inspired by Harun’s life story and his successful business.
As an electrician, Rupom was doing quite well but the income was still insufficient for the family. In the meantime, the telecom industry was penetrating the local market rapidly and there was a roaring need for cell phone mechanics. Rupom was waiting for something new in which he could uniquely excel in the regional market and thus was interested in mobile phones. He immediately enquired and got enrolled into a three-month training in Dhaka for which he took loan from a community fund (samiti) in his locality. It had cost him 35,000 taka, an amount unimaginable for his family to spend — an investment that does not even assure a confirmed income. But as luck favoured, while training in Dhaka, he got a job as a mechanic at a shop in New Market, which he accepted and joined after the course. Though he was earning well, he realised that all of his money was spent because Dhaka is expensive.
Always with an urge to do something on his own, Rupom came back to Natore with a big plan. He opened his own shop at the Pouro Hawker’s Market in the town area and started providing mechanical solutions for damaged sets. He bought equipment and paid the leasing advance through another loan from the same community fund. In the beginning, he faced many obstacles — starting from his inability of diagnosing complex problems to even compensating for technical mishaps. That made him desperately look for various ways of autonomous learning like internet, different manuals, fix and break through dummy models, and comparative crafting analysis with other mechanics. At one point he became overly dependent to internet tutorials which compelled him to take another loan to buy a PC of his own.
All of these efforts paid off within two years when he started earning enough to pay back his monthly instalments and rents, contribute to family expenses, save for himself and also invest back in business.
Today, he earns enough for a quality living and has two employees whom he is training. He plans to open new shops in other areas as well. He aims to open a training institute for the underprivileged youth of his locality and simultaneously increase the magnitude of his business. Rupom couldn’t finish his studies but he is proud of his sister who is doing her honours (third year) under National University. Two thumbs up to Rupom and his unstoppable zeal for a better life for himself and others.
Umama Nowrose Ittela is a communication specialist, marketeer and a development worker. She is also a passionate dancer, history enthusiast, travel maniac, movie buff, avid reader-writer and a believer of fate.
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