CED updates on Men’s Empowerment Project
The Centre for Enterprise Development Inc. (CED) is pleased to announce that its six-month men’s empowerment programme, the Technical Assistance for Men’s Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (TAMEED) Project, is progressing well and is on track for completion in July.
The TAMEED Project focuses on equipping the participants with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to enhance their technical capabilities, improve their livelihoods, and contribute meaningfully to the economic and social development of their communities. The programme includes a series of training, mentorship, and financial assistance.
The CED says since its launch in March, the activities executed thus far have been well received and attended by over forty (40) participants.
Training and Education Coordinator, Keisha Phillips, noted that the participants have undergone training sessions on entrepreneurship and planning their small businesses, selling and customer service, Human Resource Management for Small Business Owners.
“So far, we have completed five training sessions and the feedback from the participants have been positive. Some participants have reported that they are already implementing some of what they’ve learned in their business operations; others have reported that based on the new knowledge that they have obtained, they realise that there are changes that they will have to make to improve their business models and are looking to see how best they can do so.” She further added that the CED is not only supporting them with technical assistance, but soon mentorship.
“We at the CED are pleased with the progress of the project. We anticipate that coming out of this initiative, the enterprises would be strengthened and enabled to become sustainable growing entities,” stated the General Manager, Ronette Lewis.
The business management skills trainings will continue next week when the participants will be exposed to financial management in recordkeeping. In June they will get training in understanding their business model using the Lean Canvas approach, then in costing and pricing their products and services.
One of the main activities in the project is a Business Symposium, scheduled for 19 June at the Kingstown Baptist Church. The objective of the symposium is to help the men and women in the TAMEED Project to unlock opportunities to scale business, improve efficiency and secure long-term financial success for their businesses. The theme for the event is, “Power in Connection: Collaborating and Networking for Men’s Business Growth”.
The Business Symposium will see the participants in the project benefitting from a panel discussion and a networking session with stakeholder agencies and companies such as the National Insurance Services, the SVG Bureau of Standards, and financial institutions.
In July, five (5) businesses will compete for cash prizes in a Business Plan Pitch Competition. The project will culminate with a closing and grants-giving ceremony on 18 July.
The TAMEED Project is funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the amount of EC$348,713.
