Brava: Entrepreneurship and pro-activity have been a way out to circumvent youth unemployment

Entrepreneurship and pro-activity have been the way out of youth unemployment for some who claim “to have the will to work” and who defend that “any job is decent”.

There are many young people who take advantage of social networks or even word-of-mouth comments that there are no opportunities in Brava for young people or that the Government or the Municipality of Brava do not give jobs to young people, but there are those who take advantage of the “small” opportunities that arise to create self-employment and thus guarantee a livelihood.

Among several cases, some wanted to tell their experiences, others wanted to stay off the record, but Elizabeth Gomes is one of Brava's “successful” cases in the area of entrepreneurship. She says that for 23 years she has been selling grills and street pastries.

“It is tiring work and requires a lot of sacrifice”, said Elisabeth Gomes, stating that she does not abandon it because it is what sustains her, with which she raised her children and manages to acquire everything she wants with her sweat.

As she said, this had never been her dream and she neither knew nor had any passion for it, but the life situation led her to follow these paths and thus have a worthy profession.

According to Elizabeth Gomes, it is work that she is proud of and today she has a great passion for it, not least because she already has her regular customers, even if she does not stop at just one place, as she sells her street food.

Often, during the day, he makes pastels, patties, fillets and sells them, right at the beginning of the afternoon he goes out with his steak cart and grill to offer his customers french fries, chicken, wings, legs, grilled pincho and, with that, guarantees his salary and sustenance.

He lives in Nova Sintra, but for the love of his work, he travels to almost every location when there is movement, because it is in these activities that he gets a better income, even if it costs him his sleep, because it ends up being dawn on the street, but a gain better and customer satisfaction speak louder for this entrepreneur.

“I feel sad when I hear younger people saying that the island doesn't have work”, he lamented, justifying that young people don't want to pull their heads, they want everything for free and work that doesn't require any effort.

However, he made it clear that all work is dignified and all work requires effort, citing the popular saying: “God says, put your hand on me and I will help you”, thus showing that any initiative must come first from each person. .

Questioned about the difficulties she faces in maintaining her livelihood, she revealed that the only thing she knows is that it is her obligation to pay her license fee of 1,610 escudos at the Brava City Council, quarterly, to guarantee its free circulation and sale without startling, because as long as you have everything paid for and your health, the rest runs after it, if you can't sell it in a fixed place, you go out walking through the streets and come home empty.

Within the framework of entrepreneurship, we also find a 25-year-old young man, who studied until the eighth grade and then was embarking on “deviant” paths, having even been imprisoned for eight months, but later his own conscience called him the reason and decided to give new directions in his life.

Named Briantino Gomes, resident in Nova Sintra, this young man installed a “car wash” and it is in this place that all car owners who want to give a different touch and shine will take their vehicles, bearing in mind that it is the only place where you can do this.

Brandinho, as he is known by everyone, said that before he had some jobs in a mini-market, or even in a car wash, but with bosses, which he didn't like very much.

Then he decided to take to the streets of Nova Sintra with a bucket and a cloth, washing cars wherever he could, but at the same time he had a motorcycle, which caused him several problems for not complying with the law and with time he decided to sell the motorcycle, traveled to Cidade da Praia and returned with his machine.

Returning to Brava, he said that the city council made the space where he is currently located available to him and offered him water, two important steps to start and today, even alone he manages to respond to the demands, which often requires him to leave the place when the public lights are already on.

Despite being satisfied, because as he considers it, this work has freed him from the wrong paths and social ills, and even guarantees his livelihood, he revealed that his dream is to get a bigger place, who knows a garage, where he can also employ another young man and put into use another machine that he has reserved, but that requires electricity to function.

It is by taking his example, which he considers “an act of overcoming obstacles”, which calls on young people to be more proactive and to look for something to do, not just waiting for the city council, because it cannot do it alone, but that it is necessary to give a first step and demonstrate willpower, remembering that all work is worthy.

Like these young people, we found others who benefited from some free training provided by the city council and other partners who also created their own businesses, others who, out of passion, embarked on the paths of manicure, others by selling fish, or restoration, sewing, among others, who guarantee to have a guaranteed livelihood through their own initiatives and who then get support from the local authority to leverage the business.