Food And Beverage Industry In India Marketing Essay

Food And Beverage Industry In India Marketing Essay India is one of the largest producers of food and dairy products. But when it comes to processed packaged food and beverages, the market is largely unorganized with huge growth potentials. Continuous urbanization and changing consumer habits, has resulted in greater reliance of people on packaged foods and beverages. With the influx of major international players like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, and efforts by large domestic players like Dabur and Parle Agro, the industry is getting more organized. As a result, the industry is generating more opportunities in sectors like marketing, supply chain, storing, warehousing, manufacturing, packaging and RD. One of the major players, in Indian subcontinent is PepsiCo, Inc. It entered in India in 1989 and established Pepsico India Pvt. Ltd. The liberalization of Indian economy in 1992 helped Pepsico expand its business in India. Currently Pepsico India Pvt. Ltd. has its headquarters in Gurgaon, Haryana. It has facilities for 38 bottling plants and three food plants in India to satisfy the Indian consumer demand. The company has recently faced some decline in profits and increase in the debts but these can be attributed its recent investments in growing Indian market but, overall the financial position of the company is robust and sturdy. The company has got strong laws governing the Intellectual Property and use of companys resources, and is taking initiatives to improve the RD. PepsiCo believes that RD plays a crucial role for the growth of the business and to develops new products and technologies to meet consumer requirements in near future. The major threat to PepsiCo is from the unorganized sector and the large multinational corporations like Coco-Cola Corporation, Pearl Agro etc. PepsiCo is offering substantial product differential by increasingly giving emphasis to health conscious trend, with increasing flavors and verities. PepsiCo plans to invest $500 million in Indian market over the next few years in order to triple its revenues in the region. The investment will spread over half a dozen business areas such as manufacturing, RD, agriculture, product development and market infrastructure. It has taken many steps aimed at tapping the growing market by introducing new products, investing in development plans and Capital expenditure plans. Thus, overall, the companys profile looks promising and ready to strengthen its roots. Contents PEPSICO Food and Beverage Industry in India India is one the largest fastest growing economies in the world with an average growth rate of 7%. With a population size of 1.21 billion it is one of most lucrative markets consumer products. Due to the increase in purchasing power of the people and urbanization of small cities the demand of processed food and beverages has grown manifolds in last few years. Currently the estimated size of the industry is $360 billion. The Ministry of Food Processing has divided the industry into the following areas: Dairy processing, Grain processing, Fish, Fruits Vegetable processing, meat poultry processing and lastly, Packaged goods such as beverages, snacks, processed/ready-to-cook foods. Out of these, packaged and processed food industry is estimated at a smaller US$70 billion. The domestic consumption of non-alcoholic beverages, which include tea and coffee, carbonated drinks and fruit-based drinks account for a little more than US$1.2 billion.  And, with current CAGR of 20% its likely to touch US$2.3 billion by the year 2015. (Chibber, 2011) At present, carbonated or aerated drinks valued at US$370 million contributed to 30% non-alcoholic beverages. Fruit based drinks and energy drinks valued at US $250 million and US$125 million makes for other 30% Structure of the industry Until 1992 reforms and liberalization of Indian economy, the industry was largely unorganized consisting of many small scale firms catering only to domestic market. In packaged food industry size only few organized firms existed with limited product like ketchup, flavors, jam and processed noodles etc. Post liberalization, with the influx of international brands and considerable change in food procurement chain, transportation, storing and warehousing the growth of the industry has been robust and steady. The evolution of innovative food processing capacity and the emergence of organized retail, changing consumption patterns with fast changing demographics and habits has fuelling the next growth trajectory for the food industry in India. With the proposed policy changes in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) by Government of India for retail sector further accelerated growth is expected in the industry. (http://pepsicoindia.co.in/Download) The major players in the industry are Dabur, Hindustan Unilever Limited, Coca-Cola, Pepsico, ITC Ltd, Parle Agro Products, Britannia India, Nestle India, Haldirams, Amul, Godrej Industries, Cadbury Schweppes, Future Group, RPG Enterprise etc. (http://www.ibef.org, 2012) Marketing strategies of the company Indian consumer market is mainly segmented on the basis of geography and demographic. Also the market is highly seasonal and predominantly urban. The products are relatively low cost with low margin but are sold in huge volumes. The marketing strategies are mostly product driven focusing on the masses. Also, innovative products to catering to regional tastes and the needs of niche consumers are been promoted, benefiting in growth of the industry. Most of promotions are done to increase the visibility of the brand. One of the most common practices is to offer the product in wide range package sizes and prices suiting the needs of diverse consumer segments. The promotions and advertisements done by the companies are often large with huge financial costs. The promotions are usually frequent and during popular TV shows, sports event at the peak hour with many celebrity endorsements. Other media like print, digital, banner and hoarding and event sponsorship are also used. (Vora) COMPANY HISTORY: Pepsico Inc., a multinational company, formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company and Fruit-Lay, Inc. Pepsico Inc., since then has expanded from Pepsi to a broader range of food and beverages brands with the largest of which include acquisition of Tropicana in 1998 and a merger with Quaker Oats in 2001, which added the Gatorade brand to its portfolio. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wik) Pepsico Inc. entered India in 1989 and established Pepsico India Pvt. Ltd. It entered India as an industry for food and agro-based products. Since its entry into India, it had already invested INR 18 billion by the year 2000. In 1990, Indian government liberalized economy on account of severe foreign exchange crises, which helped Pepsico to expand its business in India. In 2002, Pepsico Inc. joined hands with Punjab Agro Export Corporation to process citrus fruits for its Tropicana project. By 2003, Pepsis soft drinks, snacks, fruit juices, mineral water business had established itself firmly in India. It is one of the largest food and beverage industry in India with an investment of over $1 billion. COMPANY SIZE: Pepsico Inc., an American multinational food and beverage corporation headquartered in New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. As of January 2012, twenty-two of the PepsiCos product lines generated retail sales of more than $1 billion each and the companys products were distributed across more than 200 countries, resulting in annual net revenues of $43.3 billion. Based on net revenue, Pepsico is the second largest food and beverage business in the world. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wik) Currently Pepsico India Pvt. Ltd. has its headquarters in Gurgaon, Haryana. It has facilities for 38 bottling plants and three food plants in India to satisfy the Indian consumer demand. It presently employs 6400 people and provides indirect employment to almost 200,000 people through its production and distribution activities. (http://pepsicoindia.co.in/media) GROWTH ANALYSIS: Pepsico Inc., between 1970s and 1990s has expanded via acquisition of businesses outside of its core focus of packaged food and beverage brands. It concluded its disinvestments by 2007 and was followed by multiple large scale acquisitions, as Pepsico continued its expansion beyond snack food and beverage lines. In August 2009, Pepsico made a $7 billion offer to acquire the two largest bottlers of its products in North America: Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wik) Growth for 2013 is expected to improve to sales growth of 4.5% and profit of 8.3% to $4.44 per share. (Fuhrmann, 2012) Pepsico in India in a short period, it has grown to be one of the Indias largest and fastest growing food and beverage industry in the country. PepsiCos Indias growth has been guided by PepsiCos global vision of Performance with Purpose. This means, while businesses maximize shareholder value, they have a responsibility to all the stakeholders, including the communities in which they operate, the consumers they serve and the environment whose resources they use. (http://pepsicoindia.co.in/company) Changes in the Environment of Industry: With the growing GDP, the purchasing power of the people is also growing. People nowadays demand convenience and are willing to pay extra for it. As their work habits and lifestyles have changed, its now all about time, and the consumer would rather buy time than prepare food. With busier lifestyle of the people, smaller and more frequent meals are becoming common, resulting in higher demand for the packaged food and drinks. The people have become health conscious, so, nutrition is becoming an important consideration when purchasing food and drinks. In 2003, allegations were made against the major player in the soft drinks industry for using harmful insecticides and pesticides in the soft drink. This lead to drop in sales of the soft drinks for some time, till the time the confidence in the minds of people was restored. The major players are diversifying its product portfolios both in the food, health and soft drinks segment in order to cater different customer segment. Celebrity endorsement has become a differentiating factor in the highly competitive industry. Future Outlook: The per capita consumption of the packaged food and drinks in India is expected to rise with the increase in the disposable incomes of the people. In India, tea is the only product which has a mature market. Other beverages such as carbonated drinks and functional drinks have been experiencing a consistent high growth rate. With the women increasingly joining the work force and households becoming smaller, packaged food products and beverages will be in higher demand. With the increasing urbanization, there is increased acceptance and greater demand for packaged food and beverages product in India. Companys Operational Analysis Marketing and Operation: PepsiCo spends high amount on advertisement to reinforce its product by promotion and quickly make the customer aware about their new products. To enter in the different segments of consumers, it created different verticals in the functions like sales, marketing, operations and distribution. PepsiCo constantly looks for acquisition in emerging markets. It has created the point of difference from their competitors by providing unique taste to its product to suit Indian market needs and also provides the product in lower price compared to its competitors. Pepsi has segmented the market based on income level and tried focus on level 1 and level 2 (Exhibit 1) customers and focused on the age group of 15-30. Pepsi mainly sends out the goods from its plants to retailers directly, from where, they are distributed to small retailers to generate its sales volume. It also helps them to reduce the long journey in poor roads. The increase in use of vending machine helps to decrease the number of refilling. The increase in sales is due to the expansion of super/hyper markets in India. Financial Analysis: Based on the financial statement of the year 2011 of PepsiCo India the operating revenue increased by 23.63%. That is 3,360.85 tens of millions to INR 4,155.14 tens of million. There is 1.62 % change in operating income, it was increased to INR 246.81 tens of million from INR 242.88 tens of million. But the Return on Assets (ROA) went down by 0.02% from 2.79% and Return on equity also went down by 0.04%. Compare to the last year the net profit margin fell by 0.01% from 1.89%. The Debt to Equity ratio was 169.96% compared to 156.98% of last year but the current ratio went up to 2.07 from 1.97 compared to the previous year. (Refer Exhibit 2 for details) (http://www.securities.com/Public) Legal Operations: Using Trademarks and Intellectual Property: The intellectual property of the company is an invaluable asset and must be used properly. No one is allowed to use the trademarks or intellectual property of the company without proper authorization and license agreement that has been approved by Law Department. Email, Internet and other Information System: The PepsiCos information technology must be used only for the business operations of the company and must comply with the Information Security Policy and Acceptable Use Standards. It is not a usual practice to monitor the employees use of companys information systems. (http://pepsicoindia.co.in/Download) RD Analysis: PepsiCo has taken many initiatives to improve its RD capabilities and recently opened a RD department in Germany and Co. Cork, which will support both Europe and other markets where PepsiCo operates. PepsiCo knows that RD plays a crucial role for the growth of the business and to develop new products and technologies to meet consumer requirements in near future. PepsiCo always focused on the outcomes which will help them to get more good ideas and create more good jobs. (http://www.idaireland.com/news-media, 2012) Industry Analysis and Growth plans Worldwide, in the year 2010, top ten soft drink companies, including, PepsiCo, Nestle, Coca-Cola and Suntory Holdings, accounted for 52.3% of overall sales with PepsiCo holding 11.5% share. (Exhibit 3) In India, however, it holds 24.2% market share. (Exhibit4) (Eleanore Alexander, 2011) The Indian beverage and food industry is estimated to grow at a CAGR of about 7.5% during 2009-2013. Introduction of organized retail, innovative food processing methods, changes in consumer consumption patterns and fast changing demographics; has ensured exponential growth. Specifically, the Indian non-alcoholic drinks market is expected to grow at CAGR of 15% during this period. (Anonymous, 2011) PepsiCo plans to invest $500 million in Indian market over the next few years in order to triple its revenues in the region. The investment will spread over half a dozen business areas such as manufacturing, RD, agriculture, product development and market infrastructure. (Pande, 2010) It has taken many steps aimed at tapping the growing market by introducing new products, investing in development plans and Capital expenditure plans. (*Source: Bloomberg, IMAP) PepsiCo introduced following products as per their expansion plans: It launched PureVia (a zero-calorie sweetener) using Setvia, a natural herbal, to cater to health conscious customers. PepsiCo recently acquired Brazilian coconut-water manufacturer Amacoco Nordeste Ltd. to cater to increasing customer inclination towards it. Pushing hard in healthy snack options by expanding baked snack brand Aliva from four variants to six new variants. Eliminating almost all trans fats from their U.S. product portfolio and any of their global products. In India, they have 40  percent reduction in saturated fat in leading products (by using blended rice bran oil) such as Kurkure namkeen snacks and Lays potato chips. Pepsi introduced their latest drink aimed at health conscious customers. Pepsi Next is a right mix of cola flavor and a blend of sweeteners to closely mimic the taste curve is a regular cola. (Morefield, 2012) They have developed a plan to introduce fortified biscuits and snacks at affordable rates to address iron deficiency anemia. Last year they expanded their Sangareddy and Mahul production facilities in India, creating 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. (IMAP, 2010) As per companys annual report, We increased our investment in emerging markets selling and delivery systems by putting more coolers in the market and adding route and distribution capacity ahead of growth in India, China, Russia and other countries. Notably, our India business grew at about 2.5 times Indias real GDP growth rate. (Author, 2010) The company recently took another major step in order to expand in terms of volume as part of promotional offers. It cut the price of 600 ml PET bottles to INR 25 from INR 28. However, its rival Coca-Cola has decided not to follow this strategy. (Bhushan, 2012) Porters five forces analysis As shown in Exhibit, Porters five forces help to analyze an industry taking care of various influencers. The five forces are: (Exhibit 5) Threat of substitutes: Soft drink industry offers substantial product differentiation. However, substitutes like bottled water, sports drinks, tea etc. are increasingly getting popular with health conscious trend. With increasing flavors and varieties, these products pose a strong threat to the industry. Threat of new entrants: Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co dominate the soft drink industry. In addition, the industry is fully saturated and minimal chances of growth making it extremely difficult for new players to start competing. Moreover, huge fixed costs are needed and thus new entrants cannot compete without economies of scale. Therefore new entrants do not create significant threat. Bargaining power of suppliers: Suppliers of bottling equipment and packaging hold no power. Companies mostly own the majority of the bottling and hence suppliers do not hold much bargaining power. For sugar and additives suppliers, since there are a lot of them, soft drink manufacturer can shift supplier leaving almost no bargaining power with suppliers. Bargaining power of buyers: The buyers mainly include large grocers, restaurants and stores. The soft drink companies distribute products to these stores, who later resale to the consumers. Different levels of bargaining power exist with discount stores having a lot of it due to large demand whereas restaurants ordering low volume fail to have any bargaining power. Intensity of existing rivalry: Carbonated software industry is a huge industry. Currently few competitors exist and hence it allows multiple firms and producers to prosper. Overall analysis from the point of view of a summer intern in PepsiCo India: The compounded annual growth of more than 7% and the population size of more than 1.21 billion, India is one of the most promising markets for the food and beverage industry. With the current trend, the industry is estimated to grow to $360 billion by 2015. The industry at large is still unorganized with huge opportunities in retailing, supply chain, marketing and RD sides. With the proposed FDI and influx of international players, the sector will be witnessing exponential growth in its organized sector. This will also allow the expansion of the sector in the rural area which is largely untapped. Currently the organized market employes more than 2 million people and this sector has been given high priority by govt. of India. The major players like Dabur, Coca cola, PepsiCo, and Parle are already investing huge amount in both infrastructure and intellectual talent to capitalize the increasing market share. PepsiCo is one of the largest players in the food and beverage industry with its presence in more than 200 countries. Within its 20 years of operation in India the company has grown by many folds. With the new relaxes norms in FMCG industry, PepsiCo is aggressively investing in the Indian markets. Sensing the chances of increasing market share and performing better by catering to new niche markets, it plans to invest more than $500 million in coming years. The company is also looking forward to diversify its product portfolio either by starting newer products or by acquisitions along with initiatives at improving its supply chain and other manufacturing services. Financial data also looks promising with 23.63% revenue growth and 1.62% operating profit increment. Though, other financial ratios like ROA, ROE and margins have fallen compared to previous year, it is actually infected by the huge investment company is making into Indian market. As per CEO Indira Nooyi, the company plans earned highest profit worldwide from Indian sector in Q3 of 2010. Thus, it is quite evident that PepsiCo India is a market leader. Gradually but steadily, it is closing the gap with rank one player, Coca-Cola. The company looks very promising for learning and developing market understanding. As an intern, this offer would help me apply my ideas backed with the theoretical knowledge gained at my MBA program. With company paying specific attention to various business fields like supply chain, infrastructure and sales, this job will help me learn all these aspects and not limit my learning a particular domain. I look forward to this offer as a chance to ensure a final placement in PepsiCo India to give a kick start to my professional carrier. EXHIBITS Exhibit 1: Breakdown of Indian population by income Exhibit 2: Companies Annual reports Exhibit 3: Worldwide soft drink market Exhibit4: Soft drink industry in India Exhibit5: Porters Five Forces http://www.maxi-pedia.com/web_files/images/Michael_Porter_Five_Forces_Model.png

Adult/Youth Nonformal Vocational and Technical Education Essay

In 1974 the Ministry of Education developed nonformal vocational programs to serve out-of-school youths and adults. In respect of policy measures and institutional reforms, the purpose of adult/youth and nonformal education is to provide an opportunity to those who were unable to avail themselves of formal educational opportunities. The objective is to provide vocational training, along with basic literacy and numeracy skills, so that each individual can participate and contribute more effectively to his/her well-being, and to society. Such adult/youth and nonformal vocational technical education is conducted on a nonformal basis through programs offered by Rural Education Centers, School of Appropriate Farm Technology, Manzini Industrial Training Center, to name a few. The following comprise some of the major adult/youth nonformal vocational and technical education training centers. Manzini Industrial Training Center-Emakhonweni As a result of the pressing need for vocational and technical skills training as an alternative form of education, Manzini Industrial Training Center (MITC) was established with the aim of giving its trainees useful and practical skills in a trade or craft which may help them find a job upon completion. The MITC provides skills training for unemployed youth between the ages of 18 and 25 years. These are out-of-school youth who are at risk. Fundamental to the program is the acquisition of basic vocational skills which will enable a young person to earn his/her own living whether by self- or waged employment. In most of the courses offered at the Center, upon completion of the two year course in basic skills, the trainees take the relevant Swaziland Government Trade Test-Grade III with the intention of going on to Government Trade Test level-Grade II. This enables those who have not had the opportunity to complete high school (grade 12) to obtain a qualification which is recognized for pay purposes, in the wage employment sector. However, for those trainees whose desire is to become self-employed, they can apply for placement in the Business Management Extension Program (BMEP), a one year course which offers facilities and training, under the â€Å"sheltered workshop concept,† to prospective entrepreneurs. The MITC has an enrollment of over 200 trainees receiving skills training in 13 areas. Agriculture, Sewing, and Upholstery are one year courses in duration whereas Building, Carpentry, Electrical, Metal Work, Motor Mechanics, Plumbing, Printing, Panel Beating, Small Engine Repair, and Spray Painting are two years in duration. The approach employed in the training utilizes a combination of on the job training and theory lectures. Remaining as the principal training approach is â€Å"Training through production† (Manzini Industrial Training Center, Annual Report 1990/91). Business Management Extension Program In 1986 the management of Manzini Industrial Training Center (MITC) established the Business Management Extension Program (BMEP). BMEP is an indigenous small enterprise development project set up to combat the problem of unemployed youth who have already acquired vocational technical skills. With a grant from United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an administration building, warehouse, and eight workshops were built. BMEP is a unique institution in Swaziland that fills a specific niche: training and technical assistance for small and microbusinesses and the development of new enterprises (Gamedze, 1993, Personal interview). BMEP’s mission is to promote small enterprise development by providing trade and business skills training, individual business consultancy, and financial assistance to persons who are matured, have job experience and vocational skills, work for themselves full-time, and exhibit entrepreneurial traits. The mission statement contributes to the goal of increasing employment generated by Swazi-owned and/or managed section of the economy and expand the Swazi-owned or managed small business sector. (Gamedze, 1993, Personal interview). The primary goal of BMEP is to assist its clients in transforming income generating activities into small business enterprises which are operated as viable economic entities. In doing so, BMEP seeks to improve its clients’ ability to produce quality products/services and to effectively manage their business activities. BMEP is governed by a Board of Directors; however the day to day operations are the responsibility of the Director assisted by a program manager responsible for training and extension, and a finance manager who oversees the functions of the organization and administration of the loan scheme. BMEP extension officers are serving a total of 94 clients. They provide business assistance to 47 clients who also have received loans, 16 clients who are receiving business assistance only, and 31 clients who are in the assessment phase. BMEP is providing business assistance to 7 tenants in the BMEP â€Å"sheltered† workshops (Gamedze, 1993). BMEP has established relationships and linkages with other organizations that are involved in some kind of economic/business activities, and therefore identified areas of specific need for BMEP’s assistance. BMEP has formed strong linkages with other organizations involved in both urban and rural economic/business activities. These include among others: Women in Development (WID), Rural Education Centers (REC), Swaziland Farmers’ Development Foundation (SFDF). BMEP has established good relationships with financial institutions (e. g. , commercial banks) in which their representatives participate in BMEP training sessions and workshops as resource persons (Gamedze, 1993). Nhlangano Agricultural Skills Training Center The Nhlangano Agricultural Skills Training Center is an institution with an agricultural focus but supported by four other technical training programs, namely, Carpentry, Building and Construction, Motor Mechanics, and Metal Work. The Center had its first intake in 1992/93. When the Center is in full swing, a business management program to develop entrepreneurial skill will be put in place. Aimed at the youth usually referred to as â€Å"street kids† who are at risk, which includes the underprivileged, the unemployed, the educationally and socially disadvantaged, and school dropouts; the Nhlangano Agricultural Skills Training Center (NASTC) has given the youth of Swaziland another lease on life (Malan, 1992). This recently constructed skills training center offers training over a duration of two years. Modeled after the Manzini Industrial Training Center (MITC), the Nhlangano Agricultural Skills Training Center (NASTC) has the objective of training people toward self-employment or earning a wage in the agricultural sector of the economy. The establishment of such a center that provides â€Å"on-the-job training† in Swaziland is of significance in that it plays a major role in promoting self-sufficiency among young people. On the other hand, the underprivileged young persons, those with limited formal education, are catered for in so far as skill acquisition is concerned (The Swazi Observer, 1992). Table 7. Manazini Industrial Training Center Enrollment, 1990/91 | Trainee | Course | Male | Female | Agriculture | 9 | 7 | Building | 28 | 0 | Carpentry | 21 | 0 | Electrical Repairs | 10 | 0 | Metal Work | 20 | 0 | Motor Mechanics | 21 | 1 | Panel Beating/Spray Painting | 9 | 0 | Plumbing | 6 | 0 | Printing | 4 | 5 | Sewing | 0 | 28 | Upholstery | 5 | 3 | | 133 | 44 | Upgrading trainees to Trade Test | | | Grade II level | 14 | 0 | Total | 147 | 44 | School of Appropriate Farm Technology. The School of Appropriate Farm Technology (SAFT) is a nonformal and vocational agriculture school that targets secondary/high school leavers and drop-outs who cannot proceed to formal postsecondary education for one reason or another. The aim of SAFT is to provide high school leavers with relevant vocational agricultural skills and experiences to enable them to increase agricultural production at home in their local communities, and also earn an income from sales of produce (Sibisi, 1981). The school leavers catered to by this School are those with little or no prospect of getting a job in the formal labor sector. This is a rapidly growing segment of the population of unemployed youth who may soon dominate the total population in numerical terms (Cousins, 1983). Entrants to the School need a minimum of education in the sense that they are expected to have completed primary school (Grade VII), at least. However, those responsible for admissions have stressed motivation toward farming as one major requirement. The enrollment of the School averages 20-25 students, the majority of whom are boys. The age range of students is 18-25 years. The School has a capacity to enroll 40 students. Although the applications may range from 100 to 200 and admission may approximate the full capacity of 40 students, after the Preentry course of two weeks duration, students dropout as they experience difficulty coping with the practical demands of the course. Rural Education Centers. In pursuance of the policy on the improvement of the quality of life and the general standard of living of the rural people, the Government of Swaziland established eight Rural Education Centers in 1978. Aiming at improving the socio-economic status of the rural people in Swaziland, the Rural Education Centers were established with the following specific objectives in mind (Ministry of Education, n. d. ):  · To provide formal schooling to rural youth, and non-formal instruction to adults and unemployed school leavers.  · To instruct in vocational education through training in appropriate skills which may lead to self-employment and self-reliance.  · To assess needs and initiate projects; to coordinate services, resources, and activities of Government and Non-Governmental Organizations involved in rural development.  · To serve as a community resource center where educational, economic and social activities may be developed and focused providing facilities that may be used for non-formal education purposes. Seven of the Rural Education Centers (RECs) were built at secondary schools whereas the 81 was built at a primary (elementary) school. In practice, REC programs have primarily served rural women, especially in training of skills for income generation. The direct beneficiaries, in the main, have been rural women, and also some men, and school leavers, who enter vocational training courses and participate in community projects (Ministry of Education, 1988). Bosco Skils Center Bosco Skills Center is a Youth Enterprise Scheme for Self-Employment with the goal of (a) providing suitable workshop space for the development of small businesses, and (b) offering suitable training in trades and business skills primarily for those neglected and forgotten and at-risk young people who wish to be self-employed. The small business person (the experienced entrepreneur) joins the Skills Center to operate and improve his/her business, and for the use of the Skills Center’s facilities, he/she makes a contribution by training a maximum of three young persons (trainees) for self-employment over a two year period. In addition to the training provided by the experienced entrepreneur, the trainee business person attends afternoon classes in basic Mathematics, English and Business Management Skills. Mathematics and English are each taught two hours a week whereas, Business Management Skills is taught one hour a week by the Business Management Extension Program (BMEP) (McDonnell, Personal Interview). The Skills Center has 60 small business trainees for its first group of intake who undergo vocational skills training under 21 experienced entrepreneurs. The trainees, who must be 18 years upon admission, are given three months to decide whether this kind of vocational training is suitable for them, and during this period they also work in close cooperation with the Center’s Training Coordinator. The admission process entails interviews conducted by the experienced entrepreneurs who, select three young trainee businesspersons to train. Once admitted, the trainee receives E10. 00 (about US $3.30) a week to cover off-pocket expenses drawn from the trainees Fund to which the experienced entrepreneur, for operating his/her own business at the Center, has made a contribution as part of the agreement to use the Skills Center workshop and facilities. The fee for one year is E150. 00 (about US $50. 00) payable in three installments of E50. 00 ($16. 66) by the trainee business person (McDonnell, 1993). The Skills Center has eight workshops, and offers vocational skills training for self-employment in the following areas:  · Motor mechanics  · Auto electrical  · Panel beating and spray painting  Ã‚ · Upholstery  · Carpentry  · Welding/metal work  · Plumbing  · Dressmaking and tailoring  · Sewing  · Pottery  · Refrigeration repair  · Radio and T. V. repair  · Printing  · Hairdressing. Upon joining the Skills Center the experienced entrepreneur takes on the following financial commitments:  · Contribution to the cost of electricity  · Contribution to the cost of water  · Contribution to the salary of the show/display room manager  · Contribution to a trainee fund  · Payment for telephone use  · Payment for transport use Currently each experienced entrepreneur makes an agreed contribution of E165. 00 (about US $55. 00) a month to cover the above costs. The amount to be paid for the above costs is established by the Executive of the Skills Center Management Committee which reports to the Bosco Center Board, the top policy making body. Unlike the Manzini Training Center or the Nhlangano Agricultural Skills Training Center (NASTC) whose target population group are school leavers with a Junior Certificate (grade 10) or there about, Bosco Skills Center reaches out for the young people with much less formal education who have no hope of anything else. They constitute the very bottom population group of young people with very little schooling. They are educationally deprived, socioeconomically disadvantaged and â€Å"are at-risk of not achieving the goals of education, acquiring the knowledge, skills and dispositions to become productive members of society† (Natriello, McDill, & Pallas, 1990, p. 8). They comprise the majority of the young and unemployed whose hope for making living lies in self-employment since their formal schooling leaves them with little or no prospect of getting a job in the formal labor sector of the economy. Powered by greenstone3 Background Mercy Corps in Somaliland is implementing the Somali Youth Leaders Initiative (SYLI). Component Two of the SYLI focuses on workforce development and building the technical and managerial capabilities of Somaliland youth to engage technical and vocational training and related livelihood business. These activities complement SYLI’s other components by increasing the number of Somali youth with the right skills and training. Generally, the main challenge with Vocational Educational schools/centers in Somaliland is to make their teaching relevant to the current needs of the local job market. There are a lot of things that constrain their ability to do this – including poor education levels of Vocational Education students; outdated and overly theoretical curricula, lack of incentives to connect students to the job market; and lack of connections between the Vocational Educational staff and current industry needs. The Vocational Training and Non-Formal Education Specialist should assist in making curricula dynamic and practical to the current needs of the job market and design programs and incentives to link students and their teachers to growth areas of the Somaliland work force and the economy. Component Summary The Vocational Training and Non-Formal Education Specialist will provide expertise in a number of areas, including new approaches to training, including in-service courses, internships, work-study, apprenticeships, and use of ICT etc. Development of appropriate curriculum and innovative training methods to provide the skills for new entrants into commercial business will be a key outcome. It is important that all curricula developed by the project be gender sensitive and socially inclusive to appropriately transfer relevant knowledge to a variety of audiences. Furthermore, provide technical support to stakeholders and partners in the sub sectors. Key duties and Responsibilities. The Vocational Training and Non-Formal Education Specialist will undertake a number of innovative non-traditional approaches to gender sensitive and socially inclusive knowledge transfer and workforce development. The Specialist will ensure that interventions that are implemented to improve the performance of vocational educations schools are sustainable; by continually obtaining Somali stakeholders input from the various organizations engaged in training. The Specialist will work to sustainably build Somali capacity to provide the right kind of training, in the right place and time and tailored to Somaliland. SYLI’s interventions will enhance the capacity of the selected vocational colleges to become Centers of Excellence [COEs] in vocational education and outreach, using the COE as a model for other schools/centers to follow. The Specialist will be responsible for devising programs to attract more ladies/women into these institutions and will work with the Ministries of Youth and Sport, Labour and Education to build upon the accomplishments of the USAID’s other Education programs, EU’s vocational education program, etc to expand adult education opportunities particularly to women and to youth. http://reliefweb. int/node/489716.

Isis A U.s. Threat - 1371 Words

ISIS: A U.S. Threat? ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is a terrorist group that is trying to build a caliphate in Syria, as well as evoking war with the United States. ISIS first started as a branch off of Al- Qaeda; until February 2014, when they broke away from Al- Qaeda. According to K.T. McFarland, a national security analyst, ISIS has raped and tortured it’s way through Syria and Iraq, killing those who won’t join their group.. They have managed to recruit thousands of citizens from around the world to join their cause. ISIS is a realistic threat to the U.S. and the world, and the US needs to stop them. Although most people think it is a good idea to eliminate ISIS, some Americans don’t like the idea of the U.S.†¦show more content†¦The U.S. can still be involved in stopping ISIS. Even though it’s â€Å"illegal†, it looks like President Obama will continue air strikes against ISIS. The U.S. has minorly been threatened by the leader of the terrorist group and they have beheaded two American journalists, which could be considered threats. The U.S. can also help take down ISIS from a political standpoint. So the idea that it is almost impossible for the U.S. to get involved with ISIS without it being illegal is just a misunderstanding. ISIS is a realistic threat to the U.S. and the world. They has already killed over 5,500 Middle Easterners in the last six months. (6) ISIS have beheaded two American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff. A testimony from Didier Francois, a French journalist who was a hostage with Foley. Francois stated how the terrorists found a picture of James’s brother, John in his laptop. John serves in the Air Force. Because of this, Foley was subjected to the worst treatment out of the hostages. Francois said Foley was ‘one of the pillars of the group who never cracked even under the most difficult circumstances’. He was a regular victim of mock executions including being ‘crucified against a wall’. Francois said that Foley was an excellent man who stood up to the terrorists and frequently asked for other things for the other prisoners. ISIS’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, told American captives that he would â€Å"see them in New York† and that ISIS

The Nilotic Family Of African Tribal Groups - 1541 Words

Introduction / History The Maasai are a ethnic group located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are known to be part of the Nilotic family of African tribal groups. The Maasai ethnic group migrated from the Nile valley in Ethiopia and Sudan to Maasailand in the central, south-western Kenya and northern Tanzania sometime around 1600 AD, along the route of lakes Chew Bahir and Turkana bringing all their domesticated cattle with them. They were once considered as the most fierce warriors and feared by all tribes in the zone, not long after the Maasai lost most of their power during the late XIX century, as They were hit by huge drought, smallpox, and cattle pest, also had to mourn the tragic death of their much admired and respected leader Laibon Mbataini also the founder of the tribe. Where are they Located? The Maasai speak the Maasai language, an Eastern Nilotic language closely related to Samburu , the language of the Samburu people of central Kenya, and to Camus spoken south and southeast of Lake Baringo. What are Their Lives Like? The Maasai, Samburu and Camus people are all historically related and all refer to their language as Maa, although they acknowledge mutual cultural and economic differences. Most Maasai also speak Swahili, the lingua franca of East Africa. Majority of the Maasai live in Kenya leaving less than half living in Northern Tanzania. The Maasai ethnic group a known to be cattle and goat herders, they mostly depended on their animal stock fromShow MoreRelatedCharles Martin in Uganda: What to Do When a Manager Goes Native2189 Words   |  9 Pagescountries, we’re seeing mere evidence of the emergence of sub cultural power and influence. Why? Basic factors include immigration and the rise of religious fundamentalism. Equally important seems to be the growing desire among ethnic groups for independence from the groups that dominate the nations in which they find themselves. In recent years, for example, the cultural identity is effective in mobilizing people in defense of national identity. Typically, such effects promote the â€Å"national culture†Read More What Can the World Learn from Tanzania? Essay examples3439 Words   |  14 PagesRepublic of Tanzania. In Tanzania, there is an overwhelming sense of nation al pride and cohesion, even though the only things really binding them are locale and a national understanding of the English and Kiswahili languages. While most of its African neighbors have struggled over the past several decades with cross-border wars and internal or civil conflicts, Tanzania practices immense nonviolent conflict resolution due to the shared language, no single party political dominance, and great leadership