The one-month-old “In Motion” Programme pilot has provided support to 20 business owners (13 females and seven males) in Anna Regina through capacity building and one-on-one technical help.
This is according to a release yesterday from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce on the initiative in which the United Nations Development Programme is a partner.
The capacity building sessions concentrated on explicating key business concepts such as the Japanese 5S (order and quality), commercial image and business models. In addition, the “In Motion” Consultant delivered support to each business by examining and enhancing the socio-economic conditions of the businesses in areas of marketing, finance, legal, etc. According to the release, there is much interest in the “In Motion” Programme which the beneficiaries believe will yield valuable results for the growth and development of their businesses. This was demonstrated in their attendance at the workshops and one-on-one consultations with the Consultants and Team, the release said.
“I focus on my business all by myself…and never had anybody helping me so far…maybe my prayers were answered [as I was] granted an opportunity… it all worked for the best and I have learnt so much”, Banwatti Singh, Owner of 3 Sisters Variety Corner said in the release.
The release added that the concepts learnt during the Programme have motivated Singh to continue working with the “In Motion” initiative to expand her business.
Another of the programme’s beneficiaries would like to expand her business to offer traditional Guyanese snacks of fried channa (chickpeas) and `bruk teeth’ (fried lentils) etc., into new markets.
“She shared her excitement about getting support to develop a new logo and branded materials which will help to push her expansion into new markets. She also shared that she visited some businesses in Georgetown that expressed interest in her products and believed that `the logo and labels that In Motion will give is helpful’”, the release related.
The “In Motion” Programme began as a pilot project in June 2023 and aims to support 20 micro and small enterprises in Anna Regina, Region Two to improve their conditions through innovation in their traditional business models. This encompasses the design and image of the business, commercial attention and customer service, allowing these businesses to expand their market and improve their competitiveness and productive capacity.
The Programme supports Goal 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth, of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
