Providing entrepreneurial skill (high level BDS) training for agri-businesses located in Somali, Afar and Oromia regions
Providing entrepreneurial skill (high level BDS) training for agri-businesses located in Somali, Afar and
Oromia regions
Introduction
Mercy Corps (MC) is an international NGO with programs in over 40 countries across the globe. Mercy Corps
has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, private sector, and
the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to
save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social
bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states
– Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) –
Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and
prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women.
Background
Mercy Corps in partnership with CARE Ethiopia is currently implementing a five-year USAID Feed the Future
funded Resilience in Pastoral areas (RIPA) North program.
RIPA North takes a system change approach to improve the resilience capacities of households, markets and
governance institutions across 22 woredas in the Somali, Afar and Oromia regions. The activity integrates four
technical components with complementary objectives and a ‘crisis modifier’ intervention which is aimed at
protecting development gains against shocks and stresses. The components include: 1) Improved Disaster Risk
Management (DRM) systems and capacity; 2) Diversified and sustainable economic opportunities for people
Transitioning out of Pastoralism (ToPs) particularly youth and women; 3) Intensified and sustained pastoral and
agro-pastoral production and marketing; 4) Improved and sustained nutrition and hygiene practices; and 5)
Crisis modifier.
RIPA with its primary systems approach works with a wide range of private, public-sector actors and
government institutions to contribute to improving the resilience capacities of households, markets and
governance institutions.
Entrepreneurial skill (BDS) have the ability to increase production and marketing of livestock and agricultural
sectors as well as enhance diversified economic opportunities for pastoral and agro-pastoral HHs. Having
entrepreneurial skill is a key element that allows agro-businesses to grow and to withstand shocks and stresses.
Therefore, BDS is key in developing entrepreneurial activities and enhancing inclusive agribusiness where this
directly encourages crowding in and self replications of improved business practices and behavior as well.
Therefore, facilitating this training for the market actors is one of critical actions that need to be taken. This
high level BDS training is one of the most dynamic and effective elements of production and marketing. It
provides the most suitable environments to identify and discuss business opportunities and critical challenges
in the trade industry. This training will be facilitated simultaneously with practical experience sharing visit and
thus, participation in this training offers significant advantages to livestock/Agri-Businesses and enables them
to carry out marketing and promotional activities, to meet their existing or future customers and to develop
business relations by enabling them to share information and establish business partnerships. This can also
have potential positive externality on crowding in and self replications because the training and experience
sharing will be provided for both program partner and non partner businesses located in RIPA targeted areas.
Thus, Mercy Corps has planned to facilitate entrepreneurial skill training with the aim to create an opportunity
for Agro-Businesses to have a better knowledge, skill and attitude on how to make businesses, expand, and
grow including identifying solutions to the key issues affecting access to potential markets for the agricultural
sector in program targeted areas of Afar, Somali and Oromia regions. In line with this, Mercy Corps is looking
for a professional training provider for each region’s one day training session separately (Somali, Afar and
Oromia).
Objectives of the training
General Objective:
The overall objective of the training is to develop Program Partnered and Non-partnered agri businesses
entrepreneurial competence and motivating them in endeavor to do businesses economically and technically
feasible. The different types of motivational inputs will be considered during this training that includes the wide
arrays of role plays, psychological games, and goal setting exercises.
Specific objectives:
– To encourage the existing agri businesses to expand and grow through designing more inclusive
services and products
– To help agri businesses to have better understanding of their entrepreneurial personality, changing
self concept and values with creating new practices and behavior
– To facilitate strategic decision making among agri businesses
– To make the potential entrepreneurs able to define the vision of their ventures and work in
coordination for the realization of the same.
– To make the potential entrepreneurs able to analyze the environment around them and make
suitable decisions about the product.
Detail tasks and expected deliverables from the event facilitators:
1. Lead the details of the training implementation (produce training materials, agenda setting, provide
the training and submit the training completion report ) in Modjo/Adama. The training provider needs
to speak at least one local language.
2. Lead the facilitation of Venue set up arrangement before and during the training sessions including all
items and equipment’s needed (stages, sound system, tables and chairs with the consultation of RIPA
Addis team). The training is a one day event that is going to be conducted in Modho/Adama separately
for Somali, Afar and Oromia participants. The planned number of Agri-businesses that will take part
in each of the three separate sessions will be in the range of 25-35.
3. Jointly, the Mercy Corps team and the selected local businesses prepare a program schedule and
presentations in English and at least one local language (assume that most of the participants are
businesspeople who speak and understand Amharic).
4. The event facilitators must have working experience and professional background in the areas of AgriBusinesses (market system development, rural development, cooperatives, and value chain
development).
5. The training facilitators expected to provide professional advice and support in developing role plays,
psychological games, and goal setting exercises.
6. The training facilitator will capture the event proceeding and submit the full report within a week
period of event completion.
Qualification and Requirement of the training facilitator:
Job Requirements
To be part of this application, the training facilitator company or individuals needs to fulfill the following
minimum requirements.
– The company/individuals must be legally registered with a renewed business license.
(Individual applicants for freelance engagement are subject to 30% tax deduction.)
– Have ample knowledge of rural development and business development service dynamics of Ethiopia
and that of Somali, Afar and Oromia region specifically. An understanding of the pastoral and agropastoral context and business sector dynamics is highly preferred.
– Demonstrated experience in facilitating training in the regions and have an established relationship
with a wide range of market actors in the federal and regional towns with a demonstrated experience
to coordinate multiple actors from different regions.
– The team needs to have a demonstrated experience in advising and supporting businesses to business
networking and meetings.
– Include the CVs of staffs/individuals who are previously engaged and intended to be engaged in the
training activities with a wide range of skill sets
– Include references of previous similar activities
– Excellent proficiency of English language including producing quality event implementation reports
and ability to communicate in at least two of local languages (Somali, Oromiffa, Afarri or Amharic)
Reporting
The training event facilitator firm/individuals will submit a detailed report as per the details tasks and
deliverables indicated. All the reports need to be prepared in the English language.
How to Apply
Application Process
The applicants are required to submit the technical and financial proposals separately with a full package of
licenses, resumes and references of the team of experts who will be engaged in this task, all in English. The
technical as well as financial proposals should be detailed and show professional costs, Material costs and
relevant administrative and logistic costs related to the work. The deadline for the application will be February
29, 2024. The applicants are required to submit the application in person or through postal offices (P.O.Box 14319) indicated
below with reference Facilitating entrepreneurial skill training for RIPA C3 agri businesses.
DRIVER-HIGHLANDS RESILIENCE ACTIVITY: WOLDIA, ETHIOPIA
Program / Department Summary
The Driver will work within the logistics department of Operational Support structure, committed to provide reliable and compliant support to program activities in order to achieve efficient service to program beneficiaries.
General Position Summary
The driver will provide safe, transport services for MC program and support staff in the described AOR (Area of Responsibility). The driver will adhere to all traffic and MC safety rules and follow the transport guidelines required by the MC transport department.
Number of positions: 2
Essential Job Responsibilities
- Operate MC vehicles as assigned by supervisor.
- Maintain vehicle log-sheets in accordance with MC policies/regulations.
- Check the vehicle conditions after each trip/routinely – report needs and problems to transport management.
- Adhere to all safety and communication protocols as advised by Mercy Corps and supervisor.
- Responsible for the safekeeping of all vehicle equipment, tools, first aid kits, spares etc.
- Keep the vehicle ready, clean and on standby – ready for use always.
- Assist, as required, with logistics in the office and guesthouse daily workloads.
- Cooperate and be of assistance to staff and visitors – assist in troubleshooting potential problems during daily business.
- Report all maintenance needs of the vehicle to transport management on a regular basis.
- Undertake field assignments as assigned.
- Adherence to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals.
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission in country of operation.
- Other duties as assigned.
Strategy & Vision
- Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
- Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
- Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Transport Officer
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Job Requirements
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- 3rd Grade or above Valid Driving License.
- Minimum of 4 years’ experience as a Driver preferably in an International NGO.
- Experience in repairing Vehicles (Auto background) is an advantage.
- Ability to communicate in both Amharic & English languages and knowledge of other local language is preferred.
- Knowledge of routes, duty stations, project areas, the NGO and diplomatic community is required.
Success Factors
- Willing to work in remote area and able to work in team.
- Motivated and committed.
- Flexible and willing to work under pressure, outside normal office hours and during weekends.
- Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and appropriate flexibility.
- Emotional maturity and physical stamina.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of people.
- Good Time Management Skill, Attendance.
- Skills like Safety Management, Problem Solving, Dealing with Complexity, Analyzing Information
Living /Environmental Conditions:
The position is based in Woldia, Amhara which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
How to Apply
