Introduction
Gorom Refugees Settlement, Central Equatoria host Refugees mainly from Ethiopia and other Neighboring countries. The settlement is being managed by ACROSS with funding from UNHCR. In addition to settlement (Camp) management ACROSS is also responsible for providing health, education and food security and livelihoods for the refugees.
With the objective of empowering the Refugees with employable skills ACROSS organized business skills training of which the Vocational Skills Development Organization (VOSDO) was contracted to conduct camp based training in two identified areas, namely catering and food processing as well as tailoring and fashion design
The VOSDO program aims at empowering out-of-school, unemployed and other disadvantaged youths, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Refugees with livelihoods skills for employment and income generation. In order to achieve this, the organization adopted seven approaches which includes Vocational industrial skills training, Water, Sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Life skills, Entrepreneurship, Reproductive Health, Literacy and Job Placements.
Project Background:
ACROSS has contracted Vocational Skills Development Organization (VOSDO) to carry out livelihood, Business skills training at Gorom Refugees Settlement, Central Equatoria State. The Business Skills Training included Catering and Food Processing and Tailoring and Fashion Design. ACROSS and VOSDO singed an MOU on the 4th of December 2016, of which VOSDO was requested to conduct camp based Business Skills Training (BST).
The overall goal of the Business Skills Training is to equip the Refugees (Females and males) with Vocational Skills to open opportunities for them to qualify for employment or to launch small businesses either individually or as groups at the settlement and/or at the nearby markets as well as skills them with basic business management skills such as basic calculation, book keeping etc.
Training Duration:
The training lasted for one month started on the 14th of Nov to 14th Dec 2016.
Business Skills Training Objectives
THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Catering and Food Processing Course
The training will contribute to the specific objectives are as follow:
- To develop skills and competency in baking, cooking and small hospitality
- To develop skills of small business management.
- To develop skills and competency in food hygiene, personal hygiene, equipment hygiene and environmental hygiene
- To promote the initiative of grouping for business.
- Milk
Tailoring and Fashion Design Course.
The training will contribute to the specific objectives are as follow:
- To develop skills and competency in tailoring and fashion designs relevant to the market need.
- To develop skills of small business management.
- To develop skills and competency in personal and equipment safety.
- To promote the initiative of grouping for business
ACHIEVEMENTS
A total of 14 (13 Females and 1 male) out of which 11 were trained on catering and food processing and the other 3 on tailoring and fashion design. This one month training enabled the refugees to acquire the basic skills needed to start small business or to get employed when possible. In addition to that through this business skills training the refugees:
1. Acquired practical skills on food safety and hygiene
2. Acquired sound knowledge on the importance of personal hygiene when handling food.
3. Acquired sound knowledge on maintaining clean environment.
4. Developed the habit of washing hands with soap and clean water when handling food etc.
5. Acquired practical skills in backing and perpetration of local and international dishes
6. Acquired knowledge on personal and machine safety.
7. Acquired practical skills of tailoring and fashion design such as production of baby and adult clothes.
Certification
The certificate issued to the training participants are accredited by the Directorate of Vocational Training and are approved and stamped by the Undersecretary of Labour and Industrial Relations, Ministry of Labour Public Service and Human Resource Development.
