What if we enable women of Myanmar to start a business or find a job?
Women of Myanmar
Connecting potential women of Myanmar with opportunities in the Emerging Market of Myanmar.
WOM is A traineepool for women in Myanmar. Women follow a two year program that will lead to deployability in entrepreneurship and/or intrapreneurship in International Business. The program focuses on vocational training in entrepreneurial skills by making assignments (society/business), coaching of personal development, short traineeships in several environments and matchmaking to start a business or to get the right woman on the right job. Women acquire an entrepreneurial attitude (pro-active thinking, problemsolving, curiosity) and they gain competence in enterpreneurial skills like communication, strategy, sale, finance.
The targetgroup is women who accomplished at least secondary school and have a clear ambition and potential to be part of the upcoming success of the emergent market Myanmar. Women between 20-40, English speaking and with access to internet can sollicitate.
These are the objectives at the end of the program:
women will find a job at the local or international business
women are ready to start a business of her own
Why Women?
Although women in developing economies face higher barriers to entry the formal labour market they are often the solution against poverty when they entry the labour market or become entrepreneurs. When they succeed it is not only a way out of unemployment or their own poverty, but also of the people in the direct environment. Compared to men women share their success and they invest in health and education.
Woman in developing countries could benefit most from entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship. Being the gender that is poorer and suffers from more discrimination, but also because they are seen as a critical driver of entrepreneurship in light of their unique role in the household and the rise in female-headed households across the developing world.
Therefore we feel that helping a woman to develop a business does not only help her family but will be the fastest way to develop a country.
Concept
WoM offers women in Myanmar an inspiring program to start a business in an emerging market.
Local small entrepreneur in Yangon
Connecting potential women of Myanmar with opportunities in the Emerging Market of Myanmar.
WOM is A traineepool for women in Myanmar. Women follow a two year program that will lead to deployability in entrepreneurship and/or intrapreneurship in International Business. The program focuses on vocational training in entrepreneurial skills by making assignments (society/business), coaching of personal development, short traineeships in several environments and matchmaking to start a business or to get the right woman on the right job. An online platform will facilitate the program. Women acquire an entrepreneurial attitude (pro-active thinking, problemsolving, curiosity) and they gain competence in enterpreneurial skills like communication, strategy, sale, finance.
The targetgroup is women who accomplished at least secondary school and have a clear ambition and potential to be part of the upcoming success of the emerging market Myanmar. Women between 20-40, English speaking and with access to internet can solicitate.
The objective of this project to help the Women of Myanmar to benefit the emerging market. International Companies find a way to recruit and train potential employees. There is a clear win-win strategy.
WOM is a initiative of Giovanni, Natasja and Alicja and can only succeed by collaboration of local partners, governmental organisations and International Business.
Emerging Myanmar
Local market
Myanmar is emerging and rapidly developing economy. Companies are investing and setting their operations in Myanmar. In this process listening to the needs of the local people is necessary in order to assure that they will benefit from the economic opportunities. International firms expanding to Myanmar could have a great impact on the Myanmar's domestic economy, since they will create a number of jobs in a range of sectors. To stimulate this process we start WoM in order to create space for ethnic identity and universal business skills.
We know Myanmar, its (international) market and work together with local partners like WMEA (Women Myanmar Entrepreneur Association)
How does it work?
Local market
Step 1: Pilot Masterclass March 2016
A five-day Woman of Myanmar Startup demo. In 5 days we make an acceleration - from idea/ambition to start taking action. The five-day demo is an introduction to our Myanmar Entrepreneurial Skills Programme, staring in 2016!
Step 2: Recruitment and selection
Together with our local partners and WMEA we recruit 25 local potential women who have an ambition to learn, to create and who want to make a difference for themselves and family.
International Business who settled or will settle in Myanmar and who are willing to contribute to the development of local women.
We have several criteria for selection:
Women:English speaking, secondary schoolgrade, 20-40 years, ambitious, internetaccess
Business: who will invest and work with women and who are able to offer assignments, excursions and who are sensitive to the cultural diversity of its workforce (giving space tot ethnic identity)
Step 3: Programm (two years)
The programm is based on the learning by doing principle. It captures a vocational training of entrepreneurial attitude and skills. Women will work individual and in groups on both social as business assignments. They will work and visit partner companies for internships and excursions. During the program they will be coached on strength-based development. We offer matchmaking services for own business or jobmatching. On the online talentplatform all participants will be able to work together on assignments, will be able to present their portfolio, find lectures and inspiration and also an online matchmaking feature is part of the online platform.
Step 3: Outcomes For Women:
the women will find a job at an international business
the women is ready to start a business of her own
For international business: a way to access to potential female employees who bring their ethnic identity together with universal business skills into the workforce
a way to contribute to the development of women (and their families)
Matchmaking Services
WoM will work on the an online platform thanks to which participants can learn, work together, introduce their ideas and solicitate a job with local and international companies.
Women who want to establish a business can count on matchmaking facilities for business, finance and collaboration.
Pilot Masterclass Entrpreneurial Skills-March 2016
Day 1:Connecting (icon symbol van een groep/idee of network)
Let’s start with getting to know each other! The theme of the day is to clarify your idea/ambition by pitching it to the other participants, including your "why" and main focus. Some ideas/ambitions might need further development, these will be put in the ‘brainstorm pressure cooker’. We will be also working on defining your 'users' / ‘clients’ / current or future employer and their needs, as well as scheduling meetings with potential clients.
Day 2: Deepening
During the second day you will test your idea to a diverse group of entrepreneurs, consultants, managers and artists. You will work on enriching your plan and highlighting the opportunities as well as potential risks. Team-planned sessions will help you to understand your deeper personal motives: the 'Why' and 'Why Me' of your project. The entrepreneur in you will be put in the spotlight.
Day 3: Imagining and Developing
During the third day you will "make." Even though you have an abstract idea, we encourage you to give it shape. This can range from a graphical representation of your idea to provide different elements, to actually physically build your idea.
During this day, you will test your ‘prototype’ with your users/ clients/ employers.
Day 4: Improving and Planning
You will identify next steps on how to run a pilot. During this and the next day you will have a lot of interaction with your potential users / clients / employers and gather all the information you need to make your idea even sharper. Not what people say is important, but what they do when they are offered your 'product'.
Day 5: Making it happen, selling it. $$$
During the final day, we will focus on commitment to and continuation of your plan, - from idea/ambition to start taking action, by making appointments, connecting partners, identifying employers, generating publicity (Radio and TV commercial) and preparing a concrete action plan for the coming weeks.
Program 2 years
Apply
25 Woman can apply to join the WoM program. Are you between 20-40 years and committed to spend time and energy in starting a business or find a job with an international company, than apply. We work together with WMEA for recruiting potential students.
2 days intro program
Explore Skills
Let inspire you by guestlectures, research, brainstorms, visiting excisting business in getting many business Ideas. We offer you an program of lectures and assignments that will change your perspectives. Your curiosity will be fed, you will be pro-active and will gain competence in strategy, finance, communications.
2 days a month during 1 year
Get the right Attitude
Work individual and in groups on both social as business assignment to get the right attitude. Follow interntraineeships and join excursions. Complete your portfolio to brand yourself.
2 days a month during 6 months
Just do it
Launch your business by sharing your plan on with the world. Seek the best partners, build your network...
Or apply for the right job
Every participant will be coached on strenghts based development during the two year program
2 days a month during 6 months
Partners
Natasja and Giovanni - Women of Myanmar
Natasja van Schaik
I am fascinated and inspired by people who take action. I am an enthusiastic teacher, coach and entrepreneur with an eye for unique combinations of talents and opportunities for progress. I work with children, students and adults, reach them ideas, initiate projects and create challenges. I'm looking for a balance between what is already there and what possibly can be.
Creating connections between people and ideas, knowledge and action, challenges and opportunities is my specialty.
Giovanni Beatrice
A creative personality and out of the box entrepreneur. “Can not” is not an option, “Why not” is a must. 25 years of experience within the fashion industry in third world countries. Working currently also in Myanmar as a garment sector specialist to help local factories develop their business.
Alicja Pawlaczuk
has been involved in work for international development for a decade. Her main areas of expertise are resource mobilisation and establishing effective partnerships in view of boosting economic development, and inclusive growth. She is actively promoting responsible business, including sustainable tourism development, sustainable management of natural resources and empowering local communities and entrepreneurship.
Combined we present knowledge and experience in international Business, Myanmar and Education.
We believe:
that women have a major role in an emerging market
education/vocational training is an important ingredient for development
entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship are ways toenable Myanmar women to profit from the upcoming succes of a country
Our expertise and believes can make a difference. And they will.
