Business Skills Training
In July 2004, USAID awarded a grant to the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), a consortium of 14 American non-governmental organizations, to develop business skills in Iraq through partnerships with a series of regional business centers. The grant provides up to $12.3 million in funding over a 15 month period. The program promotes the expansion of a competitive and efficient private sector in post-war Iraq through training, technical assistance, consulting, and business entrepreneurship services to business training centers, and start-up businesses, and executives in target industries. Specific services include business basics training, business plan development, in-house mentoring and consulting, access to business and market information, access to public-use computers and communications equipment. The regional business centers - four in Baghdad, and one each in Basrah, Erbil and Sulimaniyah - are acting as focal points for these training and outreach efforts across the country.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Trained and placed 17 Iraqi business case managers in local business service providers in four Baghdad locations (Al Rashid, Sadr City, Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Basrah, Erbil, and Sulmaniyah.
- Trained 169 business leaders and entrepreneurs in business principles.
- Awarded 125 business development grants worth $759,752.
- Designed business training courses to be implemented through partner business centers. To prepare for these activities, a broad survey of the Iraqi economy is being used to identify the sectors in which training would be most beneficial.
NEXT STEPS
- USAID will expand VEGA's business development grant program for a total of $3 million in business development grants.
- USAID will increase the capacity of the 17 case managers to deliver business services after the program's completion.
Back to Top ^
|
