Kazakhstan BEST Game (Charity funded training)

Partner(s):

SAIE’s business development expertise takes to the globe under the tutelage of Laura Baylis, a free lance instructor involved in human development. In line with SAIE’s programmes, Laura trains members of the community at grass-roots level to learn how to start and run their own businesses from many parts of the world. This project was administered in Kazakhstan a landlocked country in Central Asia, northwest of China, the largest of the former Soviet republics in territory. Conquered by Russia in the 18th century, Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936 and acquired independence in 1991. The breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - 8% or more per year in 2002-07 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. As an emerging market economy, SAIE’s BEST Game training is highly appropriate.

Our Involvement:

Unlike regular SAIE entrepreneurship training programs which are carried out within South Africa, SAIE routinely conducts international trainings. In most cases, independent agents conduct the training after receiving master trainer training from SAIE. In other cases, SAIE service providers and staff may conduct the training on behalf of the firm. The training is usually customized to meet the unique characteristics of the recipient groups.

Project Progress:

For the very first time, Laura Baylis presented SAIE BEST Game training in a foreign language; Russian which is the base language for most of Central Asia. The training took place at the Caltc training centre in Almaty between 3 and 13 July 2007. (Business training is already being run at the Caltc training centre. The training is more theoretical and works around developing a detailed business plan. In general, many of the people who came on my training are people who have been through the other training.) 19 people completed the training and the two translators became trainers after further instruction.

The first group conducted a practical simulation where no given any money but rather requested to set aside the money and work with that for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks Larissa would phone them to see how they are doing. The decision was deemed appropriate because many of them had traveled from out of the city to come to the training.

The second group was an advanced group, many of whom are already running businesses. This was a challenge to train. The risk of a perception of the training as basic prompted innovation to add more features which was well received. For them practicals were not conducted because of their experience. Much emphasis was put on training them on the methodology itself from a third party perspective.

Overall the training went well, the translators were great, the interaction from the 2 groups was good and how the training fits into the overall plan for the training at that centre is positive.

Funder:

Product:

International Projects

Location:

Not specified.

Project Completion: