USAID grant to Youth Development Association for youth entrepreneurial development activities

APROSJU will expand EJES activities in San Salvador by introducing an applied economics course at the high school level, establishing EJES programs and computer literacy training centers at three other sites, and provide organizational support and TA to EJES graduates. (1) The EJES program has two courses - for fifth and sixth grade and for seventh through ninth grade students - which teach the basics of business, including profit and loss and management and entrepreneurship concepts. The new applied economics course will further develop these concepts, using computer simulations to give students hands-on experience at setting up and running a company, and eventually liquidating it at a profit or loss depending on their management success. The design of the course and projections of cost will be based on a pilot program to be implemented at the American School with the collaboration of an educational specialist, preferably from the U.S. Junior Achievement Program. (2) EJES programs and computer literacy training centers will be established at three other sites (Santa Ana, San Miguel, and Sonsonate). APROSJU"s computer literacy centers teach basic programming for a modest fee and develop knowledge of data processing and of the power of computers as a business tool. (3) Workshops and seminars will be organized to provide EJES graduates with TA in establishing their own micro- to medium-sized businesses. This TA will be provided by members of Ex-EJES (the APROSJU alumni organization), who are already familiar with the complexities of starting a business. (4) APROSJU itself will continue its efforts to raise private sector funds in order to expand its facilities and activities aimed at helping create a young entrepreneurial professional class able to contribute to El Salvador"s productive base. Amendment of 8/31/87 increases funding to expand APROSJU activities and adds two additional sites - Santa Tecla and a city to be named later; APROSJU"s national headquarters will be relocated to Santa Tecla. In addition, the Applied Economics course will be translated from English to Spanish and expanded from the American School to high schools at all six sites. (PD-KAJ-934)