Sustaining BDS Programmes
Dear Jealous, As we have already discussed that the Business Development Services (BDS) comprise a wide range of non-financial services provided by the both public and private suppliers (BDS providers) to entrepreneurs. Basically the types of services in a functioning BDS system are determined by the demand articulated on the part of the businesses and willingness to pay for the services offered.
For developing Sustainable BDS provision, we have to start with the BDS market assessment to find out the current BDS market constraints for both supply and demand side. When I was working with IEDI/RuralEnterprises Assistance programme supported by SNV and ICCO Holland, we did the initial enterprises need assessment and inventory of BDS supply side . After having the study, we conducted various BDS matching events, which perfectly worked.
Sustaining Business Development Services Programmes - City Of Windhoek / Namibia
The SME Incubation Centre is established by the City of Windhoek to provide prospective SMEs with the necessary and relevant capacity building and business support to develop and expand their businesses, the focus being on emerging entrepreneurs , existing and starting SME businesses that intend to grow their business into formal sector. The objectives is for SMEs to be accommodatd at the centre on a temporary basis and within a conducive enviroment that will enable them to grow from informal to formal business.
Business Development services such as Capacity Building and Mentorship Services to the Entrepreneurs at the SME Incubation Centre are been provided for the period of three years and after three years this SME are graduating from the centre and this system is really working, most of the SMEs who were accomodated at the centre having only one or two workers have created more employment opprotunities and are now operating in industrial areas because most of this business has grown from informal to formal businesses. this programme is sustainable because it is working in Namibia , we have also notice that most of the people from different countries in Africa are visiting our centre to learn from our experience.
(We commit ourselves to make the City of Windhoek a vibrant , economic and technological centre of excellence in Africa in order to enhance the quality of life of all our people)
Leah, Windhoek Namibia
Dear Leah,
Welcome! I really like your case on Business Incubation experiences from Namibia. I hope everybody has gone through it. Business incubation is one programme that is implemented with sustainability in mind, right from the start. I am happy to hear it has worked in Namibia because in some countries, the problem normally occurs when it is time for the 'incubatees' to move out. They keep giving excuses (that we haven't grown enough to be on our own) and stay long and longer and that causes the collapse of the incubation schem if no new prospects are coming. In some cases the issue of their moving out gets plitisized. Nice to hear it is working somewhere. Thanks. JC
