Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS), has successfully concluded on 18 October a series of entrepreneurship training sessions in Hawassa (Sidamo region) and Adama (Oromia region). The trainings provided 60 young entrepreneurs,  including 16 women, with essential skills to develop and pitch their business ideas.

Funded by the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) initiative, the training was held over five days from 7 to 11 October in Hawassa and from 14 to 18 October in Adama.

As part of IOM and MoLS’ broader efforts to support youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, this initiative targeted aspiring entrepreneurs and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students aged 20 and above. Participants engaged in intensive sessions covering 13 modules on business plan development, idea refinement, and pitching skills.

In addition to fostering entrepreneurship, the training also enabled participants to connect with regional Enterprenership Institute coordinators, who will serve as long-term mentors and provide valuable business advice and insights.

The training, conducted in collaboration with TVET institutions like Adama and Hawassa Polytechnic Colleges, equipped participants to navigate the business world. Sessions were facilitated by trainers from the Ethiopian Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) and regional trainers who had attended a training of trainers in Nairobi.

“Entrepreneurship training is a key priority for youth under the Ministry's mandate. The trainees selected for this pilot are fortunate to receive this opportunity. While only the top five will advance to the final competition, all 25 participants will be supported with regional resources to implement their business ideas, provided they are deemed feasible and well-developed," said Mr. Azmera Kebede, Advisor to the State Ministry for TVET.

“Through this initiative, we are helping to build the next generation of Ethiopian entrepreneurs by unlocking their potential and providing them with the skills, resources, and mentorship necessary to succeed in today’s competitive business environment. These young entrepreneurs will play a critical role in contributing to the development of their communities while strengthening their ties to their country of origin”, said Laurence  Hunziger, IOM Senior Programme Officer for Migration Management and Governance.

On the final day of each session, participants pitched their refined business ideas. A panel of judges, comprising of EDI entrepreneurs, regional experts, and representatives of the Hawassa University, selected the top five business concepts from each location. In the coming weeks, these finalists will advance to a final competition in Addis Ababa, where they will compete for additional support and funding to launch their businesses.

“This entrepreneurship workshop has been valuable in helping me learn how to solve problems for myself and the people around me. It has also provided guidance on financing my business idea and reinforced the importance of having a well-structured business plan,” says Sumoya Mohamed, one of the trainees.

This initiative is part of the wider BRMM initiative, which was successfully piloted in Ethiopia, Kenya Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan  and Uganda and has now expanded to ten countries, including  Bahrain, Burundi, Djibouti and Tanzania.

For more information, please contact ethiopiapsucommunications@iom.int