Entrepreneurship, Job Creation, and Economic Development
This issue of The Soul Beat looks at the role of communication in promoting entrepreneurship, job creation and economic development in Africa. It contains programme experiences, strategic thinking documents and materials obtained from our network. If you have anything that you would like to contribute to The Soul Beat, please contact Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com
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1. Nekolera Gyange (I Run My Own Business) - Uganda
This is a commercial radio initiative aimed at giving marginalised business people a voice with which to influence policy decisions related to business and the economy in Uganda. Nekolera Gyange is a collaboration between Ugandan radio and the International Labour Organisation's In Focus Programme on Boosting Employment through Small Enterprise Development. The programme is broadcast twice weekly for 30 minutes after the evening news and features business news and includes talk shows, live call-ins, and interviews with self-employed persons, technical experts, and policy makers.
Contact Gavin Anderson fitafrica@bushnet.net
2. Azishe - Ke: Opportunity Knocks! - South Africa
Azishe - Ke: Opportunity Knocks! is a television series that aims to increase access to economic opportunities by offering information on government programmes that facilitate job creation, as well as information on skills development, access to credit and business development.
Contact Mxolisi Notshulwana Nkele@gcis.gov.za or Lesley Fahey faheylk@sabc.co.za
3. Business Intelligence Trade Points - Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso, small-scale agricultural producers and exporters do not have access to national and international information on agricultural products, prices and trade. This project of the Féderation Nationale des Industries de l'Agro-Alimentaire du Burkina Faso set out to collect and disseminate up-to-date national market and price information. Because of their increased knowledge, producers were able to become more competitive players on the market.
Contact information@iicd.org
4. African Trade Consultants Network (ATCnet) - Africa
ATCnet brings together non-governmental and government organisations, social groups, economic and business bodies, and individuals in Africa to address trade and development issues in African countries. The network's main focus is the building of the ICT infrastructure through the provision of affordable access to computers and the Internet mainly through community cyber centres (CCCs). Central to the initiative is poverty alleviation through information and communication for development. There is also an emphasis on transferring knowledge from the south to the north.
Contact Peter Burgess profitinafrica@aol.com or hivaidsstories@aol.com or info@atcnet.org
5. AR(t)BORETUM South Africa
This outreach project aims to promote job creation in the arts and culture industries. The organisation acts as an agency to link artists and crafters with galleries and the tourist market. It helps identify artist's needs and guides art communities in forming art associations. AR(t)BORETUM also assists in funding applications and with upliftment programmes for disadvantaged artists and crafters.
Contact Nico Eilers NicoEilers@intekom.co.za or Loni Drager capereedcompany@albanynet.co.za
6. Developing Youth Advocates for Employment - Egypt
The Youth Employment Summit set out in 2002 to implement an Egyptian pilot programme to create a network of young leaders to advocate for and promote youth employment activities. As part of the initial effort, ten Youth Leaders were put though skills development courses in the areas of leadership, activism for youth employment, and entrepreneurship.
Contact Jose Ruiz-Salas jose@youthemploymentsummit.org
7. Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity - South Africa
The Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity combines participatory training in gender awareness with a small-scale loan programme in a set of villages outside Burgersfort, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The microfinance programme, directed by the Small Enterprise Foundation (SEF), provides group loans to women who own small businesses, such as fruit or clothing stands. The groups meet every two weeks to repay loans and report on business progress to SEF fieldworkers. Gender awareness training also takes place during the meetings.
Contact James Hargreaves jimharg@soft.co.za
8. Supporting Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries: Survey of the Field and Inventory of Initiatives
Entrepreneurship support offers a new model for fighting poverty and ensuring economic growth in developing countries and it has come to the forefront of activities to bridge the digital divide and deliver development aid. This survey aims to spur thinking about facilitating small, micro and medium-sized enterprise development by looking at the various kinds of entrepreneurship support initiatives from Africa and around the world and what they provide. The aim of the survey is to exchange information and lessons learned and to inform international planning efforts. The report offers a brief overview of why entrepreneurship is important in developing countries and describes a range of initiatives to illustrate the scope and variety of entrepreneurship support services available.
9. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Small Enterprise in Africa: Lessons from Botswana
This report investigates what role new information and communication technologies play in small enterprise development in Africa. Drawing on field research in Botswana, the project analyses the information and communication needs of these enterprises and assesses opportunities for ICT application.
10. What Works: Scaling Microfinance With the Remote Transaction System - Uganda
Increasing Productivity and Scale in Rural Microfinance
Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) face a number of challenges in developing countries, including lack of industry standardisation, high transaction costs, and the inability to reach out to rural areas. As a result, not enough MFIs are available to serve all needs. In 2002, Hewlett Packard formed a partnership with a number of microfinance and commercial networks to explore how technology could be used effectively to help scale up microfinance. The findings of this initiative lead to the development of a Remote Transaction System (RTS). This was a combination of technology and business processes supporting both group and individual lending, online and batch offline processing, and back office synchronisation. The partnership implemented a pilot of the system in Uganda. This document is a report of the pilot project outlining the implementation and impact of the RTS system.
11. Entrepreneurship Made Easy
This book is a practical guide for entrepreneurs providing information on the realities of business and offers step by step information on how to create a successful business.
12. Entrepreneurship and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs)[CD-rom]
This CD-rom aims to help entrepreneurs who want to launch a business in the ICT sector or who are already running an ICT business and want to find ways of developing their business. It offers useful information on running an ICT business and contains sources of further information covering: market sector information, finance, useful links and further reading. The CD also covers issues like business planning, equity and loans. The material on this CD-rom is a result of workshops that were held by the Business Outreach Project in 2002.
13. Developing Value: The Business Case for Sustainability in Emerging Markets
Released in 2002 by SustainAbility, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility, this is the first large-scale study analysing the business case for sustainability in emerging markets. The report aims to help business managers understand the opportunities, risks and bottom line implications of sustainability strategies. Included in this analysis are over 240 company examples from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Central & Eastern Europe and the report uncovers examples of higher sales, reduced costs and lower risks from better corporate governance, improved environmental practices, and investments in social and economic development.
14. Education for Self-Reliance
The manual is a by-product of the Life Vanguards integrated youth development project. From project conception, Life Vanguards recognised the high correlation between poverty and poor reproductive health. Evidence shows that when adolescents and young adults are skilled, productively engaged, and/or earning incomes, they tend to be less pre-disposed to activities and situations that are unfavourable to their reproductive health and overall well-being. The manual was therefore developed to assist youths to acquire necessary skills, which will help them, start, own and run businesses of their choice successfully.
15. Being a Female Entrepreneur in Botswana: Cultures, Values, Strategies for Success
This paper is a study of businesswomen as they move from owning and managing informal businesses into the formal economy. The study indicates that business success for rural women in Botswana is specific to the socio-cultural context. By examining prevalent concepts of patriarchy and community, the study reveals how cultural values frame successful business strategies. The study also shows how non-competitive networks, collective management strategies, and informal cross-border trade are the pillars of sustainable business success for women in Botswana.
16. Information Revolution for Small Enterprise in Africa: Experience in Interactive Radio Formats in Africa
SEED Working Paper No. 27
Published in 2002 by the International Labour Organisation, this 51-page working paper provides information and communication for micro and small enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. The report is available in English and in French.
17. A FIT Manual: Profitable Programmes for Small Business - A manual for radio companies
This 55 page manual is intended primarily as a tool for radio broadcasters and production companies who are interested in launching a profitable radio programme that targets the micro and small business sector. The manual was written to encourage and support the development of new radio programmes but is also relevant to any individual or organisation who is involved in small enterprise development and wishes to utilise the mass media as a tool to reach small businesses.
18. Strengthening Informal Sector Networks in Kenya through Exchange Visits
Published in 1995, this paper explores the development of micro and small enterprise (MSE) networks through exchange visits. In addition to promoting contacts between MSEs, these visits have the potential to enhance connections between small and large enterprises. The document examines the needs of MSEs, MSE promotion, and the potential of networks to include large enterprise. It also describes exchange visits in practice, details the impact achieved by these different types of visits and concludes with recommendations.
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The Soul Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.
Please send material for The Soul Beat to the Editor - Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com
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