By Mcloyd Chilangiza:
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Institute (Smedi) has said it is developing a database which will enhance access to information among small-scale businesses.
Smedi Marketing and Business Development Officer Alinafe Mpoka made the revelation during a Zantchito skills for jobs training workshop, an initiative aimed at improving government’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector policy, legislation, planning and implementation.
Mpoka said the training would help the small business operators to have access to verified information on how to revitalise their businesses as well as scaling up trade activities.
“Our main role is to disseminate information where and how SMEs can get information and how they can be assisted and also how our partners can find information. We have that database to make sure that we have a complete package for SMEs to benefit in this country,” Mpoka said.
One of the participants, Umodzi Consulting Managing Director Tione Kaonga, said the training would help in rooting out suspected people who claim to be consultants as the database would be a viable source of information for their legibility.
“This is important because for a long period we have seen a number of clients who claim to be consultants supporting SMEs and in some cases the services that they have been providing were of very poor standards,” Kaonga said.
Among other things, the Zantchito Technical Assistance Project is strengthening entrepreneur culture, sustainable enterprise creation and fighting for decent jobs in Malawi.
The two-day training was funded by the European Union and has drawn participants from across the country.
