Starting, improving your own business

By ISAAC LIRI
UNDER the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Small Medium Enterprise Corporation (SMEC) is one of the agencies that focuses on building up the capacity of trainers of the program, Start and Improve Your Business, SIYB.
SYIB has been in existence since 1996 and the successes that come out of the course have benefited many entrepreneurs over the years giving them insights into the significance of the Small Medium Enterprises and its benefit to daily economic activities in the country.
This year, SMEC held the SYIB course in partnership with the International Labour Organisation at the Dixie Bungalow, outside Port Moresby, and a total of 42 participants successfully completed the Training of Trainers program.
Most of the participants were officers currently employed in the provincial and local level governments. They were from all four regions of the country- four from the Highlands, eight from New Guinea Islands, eight from Momase and a total of 20 from the Southern Region.
Managing Director of SMEC Rodney Sumale spoke of the program as a vital part of development of the small to medium businesses in the country with the idea that if trainers are able to grasp the program, they will not only be able to start their own business and improve it, but also be assets to the community around them.
With the country said to be facing a financially tight situation, entrepreneurs who are aware and involved in such programs like the SYIB become vehicles that provide support to daily business activity and livelihoods as a whole.
The story of the program is incredible with SYIB, in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO),  having to trained a total of 14,234 entrepreneurs since its inception 21 years ago.
“With the number growing we can see change in the SME sector in a very tremendous way,”Sumale said.
One of the master trainers facilitating the course this year was Henry Tavul who was delighted at the large number of trainees at the recent workshop.
With the program’s main aim to create more and better employment by providing training to individuals to start a business and improve an existing one, Tavul referred to human resource and wealth creation as substantial elements.
“People are important resources and this course helps them to help everyone else.
“This year we saw are good number and its growing numbers proves that the SYIB program is making a difference.
“Because the course participates were entrepreneurs themselves, master trainers also learnt from these trainers during the connection. The ideas and stories that were shared provide various insights on how we can go forward,” Tavul said.
Rating this year’s course, Tavul said the average appreciation rate of the participants was 2.7 out of 3, or 90 per cent.