Author Archives: ravi

Jameel Rahemtoola

Untitled-27“The ETW was for me a great investment which offered invaluable experiences and a continuous learning opportunity. It helped me refine my family businesses and build solid foundations for growth.”

Jameel Rahemtoola Meem Trading

Amar Deerpalsing

Untitled-26“This is the best entrepreneurship training program I have seen & certainly among the best training I have attended. Highly recommended for all existing & potential entrepreneurs”

Amar Deerpalsing, Owner/Manager- Home Centre Ltd. (President of SM E Federation)

Nazima Peeroo

Untitled-24“This was a life changing experience as I was not only able to improve my business, but also manage my home better. Highly recommended to every business woman”

Nazima Peroo, Owner/Manager – NSZ Trading (Most Promising Woman Entrepreneur of the Year – 2009)

Improving Sustainability

Improving Sustainability of Small & Medium Hotels through forward Marketing & Improved Backward Integration with the Local Community

Tourism has rapidly emerged as one of the key sectors of the Mauritian economy and its contribution is currently of about 12 % of its GDP. In essence, human resources and environment have been playing an important role in tourism product development and sustainability. In this context the project was set up to:

  • Prepare a common Strategic Plan including a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Plan to identify the various stakeholders and how to best support them
  • Develop a Marketing Plan comprising of a framework for continuous progress, including visibility actions and marketing support tools
  • Encourage the integration of informal businesses such as hawkers, taxi drivers, restaurants, etc. to offer clustered services and empowering them for an effective supply chain integration
  • Capacity building and support for developing the competences of participating hotels’ key staffs
  • Develop a business directory for Small & Medium Hotels (SMH) to collectively address common services offered
  • Sensitise and motivate SMH in building inter-enterprise linkages to increase their competitiveness at national and international levels 

Target Groups

  • Small & Medium Hotels
  • Job seekers in the hospitality industry
  • Informal businesses such as Hawkers, Taxi Drivers, etc.
  • Other Intermediary Organisations (IO) & Investment Promotion Agencies (IPA), involved with the promotion, development and sustainability of the hotel sector
  • Selected Members of the professional public 

Action Location: Mauritius

Clustered Support Services

Clustered Support Services & Networking for Value Added Entrepreneurship

The project promoted the emergence of new entrepreneurs and empowered existing ones to prepare them for the emergence of new entrepreneurs and empower existing ones to be able to compete aggressively in the changing economic context. The action consisted of capacity building programs to improve the Personnel Entrepreneurial Competencies (PEG); business acumen and skills of existing and potential entrepreneurs and also supported SMEs in developing networks and clusters to promote business linkages to tap on opportunities available on global markets. A platform was set to facilitate exchanges for further business support & assistance to consolidate developed capabilities.

  • Identify high potential entrepreneurs & SMEs to live up to their full potential;
  • Set up groups (cluster maps) for diagnosis of requirements and provide specific competences in Entrepreneurship Capabilities, business acumen, and skills;
  • Raise full awareness amongst existing, new and potential entrepreneurs, women, unskilled or semi-skilled unemployed, under-employed and key stakeholders on the benefits of value added entrepreneurship development clustering and networking;
  • Conduct specific capacity programs in entrepreneurship training, business & marketing plan development and cash flow management;
  • Develop networking capabilities to take full advantages of supports and services (banking, marketing and regional integration, technology improvements, etc.) 

Target Groups

  • Businesses, SMEs & Micro-enterprises, existing Entrepreneurs, including women entrepreneurs from key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, textiles, service, hospitality, etc.
  • New and potential entrepreneurs, unskilled or semi-skilled unemployed, youth, etc.
  • Staff & key members of EM & partners

Action Location: Mauritius

Entrepreneurship Training Workshop (ETW)

Entrepreneurship Training Workshop

This workshop was designed for real businesspeople and the main idea is that there are competencies and behaviours that can be taught which lead to success. EM has been running 2 to 3 batches of this world class training programme per year and is one of the flagships of the Empretec Programme.

In essence the major behaviours that are transformed during the ETW are known as the PECs (Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies) and are below listed:

  • Opportunity Seeking and Initiative
  • Persistence
  • Fulfilling Commitments
  • Demand for Efficiency and Quality
  • Taking Calculated Risks
  • Goal Setting
  • Information Seeking
  • Systematic Planning and Monitoring
  • Persuasion and Networking
  • Independence and Self-confidence

ETW is a “transformational experience”; it provides tools to fulfill one’s goals and dreams through:

  • personal transformation and approach to business from a new perspective;
  • improved business behaviours; and
  • Offering practical tools on how to improve entrepreneurial competencies such as: goal setting, systematic planning and monitoring, business plans, information seeking, seizing opportunities and risk taking.

Building Franchising Capability

Building Franchising Capability For Technology Transfer, Business Growth & SMEs Development In Mauritius

Untitled-28The concept of Franchising is quite new to Mauritius. Through the various capacity building workshops and sensitisation, sufficient awareness and knowledge have been developed amongst the entrepreneurs, SMEs and key stakeholders (including professional resource persons) on franchising. The action specifically aimed to:

  • Create awareness and Capacity Building in fully understanding the concept, operation and importance of Franchising for Mauritius;
  • Strategic planning for franchise transfer, including setting up of Mauritius Franchise Association to support franchising in, out and within Mauritius;
  • Sensitisation in legal aspects involved in franchise acquisitions and IPR transfer mechanisms;
  • Develop a Franchising Toolkit(with particular emphasis on SMEs needs) to provide instructions about owning a franchise business.

Target Groups

  • Untitled-29Individuals servicing the SMEs and assisting in entrepreneurship development
  • SMEs, SMEs Associations & Groupings, Cooperatives, Women’s associations, Entrepreneurs, etc.
  • Key stakeholders (such as banks, support institutions, authorities, legal & judiciary, etc.)
  • Professional group (Accountants, Attorneys, Consultants, etc.)

Action Location: Mauritius

Empowering Tourist Guides

Empowering Tourist Guides For Sustainable Tourism Development & Environment Protection

Untitled-17The profession of tourist guide is crucial to the sustainable development of the tourism sector in Mauritius. Tourist guides in their role as intermediaries, participate in creating the real tourism sensation by providing tourists with the desired information. The tourist guides have noted, however, a growing interest from European tourists on environmental aspects and environmental protection. As they are not environmental experts, a special effort is required by the tourist guides to provide to the tourists the required framework of perception by promoting the image of our country.

Untitled-18With an endeavour to promote sustainable tourism-related activities the project contributed towards the development of ecologically friendly and environmentally sustainable coastal tourism and associated activities. It reinforced the capabilities of stakeholders and other partner organisations / operators of coastal tourism industry by empowering their management and staff to deliver services compatible with sustainable ICZM tourism.

Specific activities relative to the project included:

  • Untitled-19Strengthened capacities of Management, tourist guides and the front-liners of the Tourism Industry as ‘advocates’ to promote a national awareness and proper education of public in general & tourist in particular, for sustainable and responsible utilisation of our costal resources.
  • Improved synergy between tourists’ guides and key operators (boat owners, travel agents, hotels, underwater diving centres, cruise organisers and other recreational services providers) of the Tourism Industry to encourage Coastal Eco- friendly tourists’ attraction & activities.
  • Increased contribution of stakeholders and coastal communities to reduce the negative impacts and marine environment and to promote development of eco-tourism related businesses for job creation and poverty alleviation.

Target Groups

  • Managers, members, Tourists guides, Front Liners of the Tourism Industry.
  • Professional Public, Front Liners of the Tourism Industry, Recreational activity providers

Action Location: Mauritius

Developing Sustainable Environment Friendly

Developing Sustainable Environment Friendly Entrepreneurship in Coastal Zones of East Africa & Indian Ocean

Untitled-14This project contributed in sensitising and training coastal communities on characteristics, importance and vulnerability of coastal and marine resources.  On the job training and coaching was provided to help coastal entrepreneurs in adopting new and specific well-defined greener practices and work methods which minimised human impact on coastal and marine resources. Emphasis was also laid on the identification of new business opportunities or areas which are not detrimental to the coastal and marine resources. Capacity building provided for developing personal and green entrepreneurial competencies and the creation of a regional network for value addition and promoting entrepreneurship growth.

Untitled-15On the overall the project offered an integrated and coherent approach leading to new structures, practices and opportunities leading to improved abilities, jobs and poverty alleviation. The activities were centred on:

  • Sensitised coastal communities in targeted countries on the DOs and DON’Ts as regards to them;
  • Adoption of greener practices and work methods;
  • Untitled-16Identified new business opportunities which can be tapped upon by coastal communities;
  • Developed personal and green entrepreneurial competencies of coastal communities;
  • Creation of a regional network for value addition and promoting entrepreneurship growth;
  • Reduced pollution level on targeted coastal zones.

Target Groups

  • Existing, Emerging and Potential Entrepreneurs

Action Location:  Madagascar (Antalaha, Ansiranana, Majunga, Nosy Be regions), Tanzania, and Mauritius (including Rodrigues)

Implementing Environment Friendly


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