Malampa Skills Centre Report: February - April 2017

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1 Mr. Ben Tabi The Acting Secretary General, MALAMPA Provincial Government. Lakatoro, Central Malekula. 29 th May 2017 Dear Acting Secretary General, Malampa Skills Centre Report: February - April 2017 Malampa Skills Centre is pleased to inform you of the positive outcomes achieved through the partnership between the Malampa Skills Centre and productive sectors through inclusive activities that happened over the months of February to April It is very encouraging to see the successes of such skills development activities and services which are making positive changes to individuals and rural businesses in our communities. Yours faithfully, Ellise SAILAS Malampa Skills Centre Manager

2 cc: Jesse DICK, Director General, Ministry of Education and Training Jean Marie VIRELALA, Acting Director, Tertiary and Higher Education Jonathan George MAELTOKA, Acting Director General, Ministry of Youth Development Sports and Training. David LAMBUKLY, CEO, VQA. Renjo SAMUEL, Chairperson, MALAMPA Provincial Government Training Board. Fremden S. YANHAMBATH, Director, Skills for Economic Growth Program (VSEG Program) Anna GIBERT, Implementation Adviser, VSEG Program Sara WEBB, M&E Adviser, VSEG Program Sally BAKER, Disability Inclusion Adviser, VSEG Program Francois JAPIOT, Skills for Agribusiness Adviser, VSEG Program Nicky BARNES, Skills for Handicraft Adviser, VSEG Program Christelle THIEFFRY, Senior Program Manager - Education, Australian High Commission George BORUGU, Acting Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Trade, Commerce and ni-vanuatu Business Donald PELAM, Acting Director, Department of Tourism Noel KALO, Acting Director, Department of Industry Antione ROVO, Director, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ridley JOSEPH, Director, Office of Registrar of Cooperatives and Business Development Services Dorosday Kenneth WATSON, Director, Department of Women s Affairs. Pacco Siri, Acting Director General, Ministry of Justice and Community Services Sherol GEORGES, Disability Inclusion Coordinator, VSEG Program Kalowie ROBERTS, Skills for Handicraft Coordinator, VSEG Program Warren GAMA, Skills for Tourism Coordinator, VSEG Program Moulin TABOUTI, Skills for PSET Coordinator, VSEG Program Marian LOUGHMAN, LLN Specialist, VSEG Program Collin Tavi, M&E Manager, VSEG Program Jonas MASOVISH, Sanma Skills Centre Manager, VSEG Program Introduction In this first quarter of 2017, all the skills sector development activities are led and driven by the key implementing government agency partners which includes Department of Industry, Department of Agriculture and Department of Tourism and was supported by the Malampa Skills Centre. These activities are centred on the new sub sector programs introduced this year which are the Skills for Handicraft and Skills for Agribusiness partnerships including the existing developing Skills for Tourism partnership program. Page 2 of 7

3 As part of its focus on ensuring the continuity and sustainability of its business operations, 5 female staff from the Malampa Handicraft Centre convened a 3-day business support and planning meeting from 13 th 15 th March. This meeting was organized and delivered by the Skills for Handicraft team of the Vanuatu Skills for Economic Growth Program in collaboration with other key provincial stakeholders. The meeting identified key challenges encountered in this handicraft business which include facilitating special orders from wholesale and retail buyers, regular basic bookkeeping & financials support, staff volunteerism, access to raw materials, MHC staff to producer business relations, teamwork and work ethics. After good team interactions and understanding of the business situation, an agreed short-term solutions action plan to address the MHC business challenges was developed in collaborations with all key provincial stakeholders, the MHC business, Malampa Skills Centre, Malampa Industry Department and Malampa Cooperatives Department. The Industry Department officer, Provincial focal point, John Mael initiated a survey to better understand the needs of customer in accessing the handicraft market. Other activities were targeted to provide further technical and business support to the MHC store, encourage teambuilding activities, staff capacity building in existing roles & responsibilities, basic financial & bookkeeping support, support in facilitating special orders, distribution, packaging to payment for buyers, and supporting MHC to do business to business sales and product marketing. Selection criteria were also discussed and developed to identify the skills required for handicraft development activities by MHC producer clients. From 3 rd 7 th April 2017, the Department of Industry was supported by the Malampa Skills Centre to conduct a survey to better understand the needs of local customers including passing tourists and visitors who buy from the MHC in Central and North East of Malekula. This survey was conducted by John Mael, supported by 2 MHC women managers of the MHC and Malampa Skills Centre to collect and collate the data. A total of 94 people were surveyed (41 males to 53 females) and these respondents represent different local customers and buyers who are mostly government and retail business officers, while others include outer island tourism operators, NGOs and civil society organisation officers, village handicraft buyers and potential handicraft buyers. Page 3 of 7

4 The research findings shows that most respondents chose MHC store as their recommend store to buy a variety of quality, and easily accessible locally handmade handicrafts. Products in high local demand for personal daily use includes local mats, baskets, fans, coconut crater, laplap crater and decoration items. Products in high local demand for gifts and souvenirs include fully varnished small sized wood carving canoe & bird, tamtam, nalnal, face, small pig, fish, dolphin, turtle, mats and baskets with attractive designs and greeting writings, coconut and pandanus weaved fans and local salusalu. The biggest contributing factor influencing customer handicraft preferences is product quality, affordable price, creativity and unique design and decoration. The most common reasons & interests for purchasing handicrafts at MHC store include purchasing products as a gift or souvenir, as the product is handmade and genuine. Product marketing and publicity is also a major need for MHC to focus more on facilitating local business to business sales and trade. 1 2 Reasons for buying handicrafts at MHC store 3 12% 7% 11%4% 9% 16% 6% 11% 14% 10% Personal purchase Business purchase Purchase as a gift or souvenir Purchase by someone else at your request Admire the skills involved for making the product Product is handmade Product is genuine Product has a cultural story, value, & meaning behind it 4 Page 4 of 7

5 From 12 th 17 th February 2017, Malampa Skills Centre through the Skills for Agri-business sector program technical adviser, Mr Francois Japiot kicked started a 6-days Agri-business scoping and stakeholder consultation, including site visits. Meetings were held with Malampa PGTB, the Malampa Provincial Government, Malampa DARD, Malampa Industry Department, Malampa Cooperative Department and Malampa Tourism Department. About 25 potential business clients (19 males: 6 females) including the Metenesel Estate ltd eco-tourism attractions, bungalow operators, Malampa Handicraft Centre, and Agri food producer & processors were visited and consulted as part of this scoping trip. Outcomes from this scoping trip and stakeholder consultations prioritized a public-private sector partnership initiative between the Malampa Skills Centre, the Ministry of Agriculture and Metenesel Estate ltd. This will target key selected cocoa farmer clients with a focus on increasing quality cocoa production and reviving the cocoa industry in Malampa to access a new export market in New Caledonia. Another priority area for the Agribusiness partnership between the Malampa Skills Centre and the Ministry of Agriculture will be engaging potential Agri-food producer or processor clients to support value addition initiatives in product development and business management to access viable markets domestically within Vanuatu. Agri-business industry coaches were also identified and consulted for delivery of Agribusiness skills development activities & services in Malekula through the Malampa Skills Centre. From 25 th 26 th April 2017, Malampa DARD and the Cocoa Growers Industry team collaborated with the Skills for Agribusiness sector program to deliver a series of coaching meetings with 15 local cocoa farmer clients (20% of female and 40% of youth) and Metenesel Estate Limited team in Central West Malekula. These validated Metenesel estate cocoa farmer clients also undertook preliminary client surveys and cocoa plot visits. In line with this public private partnership initiative, coaching processes and systems have been tested, reviewed and endorsed both by the Skills for Agribusiness team, Cocoa industry coaches, Department of Agriculture, and Metenesel Estate Ltd. Other key industry coaches were also identified to deliver coordinated sector planned skills development activities in cocoa nursery establishment, accessibility to cocoa planting material & farm working tools, securing cocoa genebank and value adding for Agri-food producers & processors. Page 5 of 7

6 From 26 th 28 th April 2017, Malampa Tourism Office in collaboration with Malampa Skills Centre under the Skills for Tourism sector program partnership delivered its first coaching session for this year to 10 tourism accommodation business clients in Central and North East Malekula. As the Tourism industry coach and the Tourism product development officer are both new, this client coaching trip was focused mainly on relationship building with tourism clients, reviewing the basic elements of the business client files, discussing current marketing practices and identifying future training and coaching needs. Outcomes have shown that Lakatoro and Norsup bungalows in the main business district of Central Malekula have received mostly local guests, which means they have more consistent visitors than more remote bungalows that rely on tourists. All bungalows have very basic business management processes while some bungalows are planning new building and/or renovations. The common business client training needs identified are cooking, housekeeping and First Aid with ongoing coaching needed in bookkeeping, marketing, and product development. The Vanuatu National Disability Desk and Malampa Provincial Disability Committee in collaboration with Vanuatu Skills for Economic Growth Program Inclusion team organized and delivered a 3-day workshop session between 10 th 12 th April 2017 targeted to build the current capacity of the Malampa Provincial and Community Disability Committee 12 client members (8 females and 4 males). The key outcomes from this workshop were increasing understanding of the existing disability inclusion committee members of their roles and responsibilities guided by a reviewed terms of reference. A 2017 work plan of activities was developed providing further support to socially and economically empower people with disabilities. The committee members also now understand the important role they are currently playing in implementing the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Members also used the opportunity to raise concerns they faced in the communities while working with people with disabilities and Page 6 of 7

7 suggestions were made during discussions on how these could be addressed. Linkages between the National Disability Desk and the Malampa Provincial Disability Committee were also discussed, and further strengthening of overall coordination of disability inclusion activities, programs, and services provided to people with disabilities in Malampa. Summary remarks The Malampa Skills Centre team would like to thank the national, provincial stakeholders and supportive staff for all these successful positive outcomes. It has clearly achieved many outcomes for individuals, businesses and communities in Malampa leading to greater opportunities for achieving inclusive social and economic empowerment. We look forward to continuing to work with you all to strengthen the skills sector partnerships. Page 7 of 7