HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Bangladesh, TRAIDCRAFT EXCHANGE (TX), Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Bangladesh Agro Procesor’s Association (BAPA) and Jamalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Partnership

SHAMERTO: – Sustainable Skills and Employment in Small Scale Agro-Food Processing Project

Terms of Reference: - Facilitate Workshop on Financial Literacy and Linkage Development with Financial Institute and SMCEs

Introduction:

Project Name

SHAMERTO – Sustainable Skills and Employment in Small Scale Agro-Food Processing

Project Location

Bangladesh – Mymensingh, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Kurigran, Gaibanda, Shariatpur and Barisal districts

Project duration

36 months from 1st February 2017

Donors

Co-funded by EU

Implementing agency and partners

The project is managed by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and co-implemented by Traidcraft Exchange (TX) Bangladesh Agro-Food Processors Association (BAPA) Dhaka Ahsania Misson (DAM) and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCC)

SHAMERTO project is designed to strengthen the skills, employability and income of workers/entrepreneurs of small, micro and cottage agro-food processing enterprises (SMCE) to achieve the goal, “to reduce poverty by promoting sustainable pro-poor growth”. Specifically, it aims to increase gainful employment of workers and job seekers, who will be counselled, trained and skill-tested, and receive satisfactory job placement by enhancing the competitiveness and capacity for employment of the targeted SMCE through better integration in the selected sub-sector value chains and improvements in the business environment. The focus will be on scaling-up value addition and increasing competitiveness of SMCE in the wheat, rice, groundnut, lentil, mug bean, spice and mustard sub-sector value chains in 7 districts, in three geographic clusters in the North West (Kurigam, Gaibandha Districts / 11 Sub-districts), North East (Jamalpur, Sherpur, Mymensingh Districts / 14 Sub-districts) and South-West (Barisal, Shariatpur Districts / 11 sub-districts).

Majority of the food processing units are small and rural based with very limited capacity to invest in technology. Value Chains have been analyzed to find out the underlying/systemic constraints that limiting the growth and developments of the SMCEs. It is informed from the report that these cottage, micro and small enterprises have reported that they are not aware of the different financial products and services offered by the financial institutions. Value chain analysis report state that “The enterprises have also expressed information need on financial services and products. Majority of the cottage and micro enterprises have reported that they are not aware of the different financial products and services offered by the financial institutions. Thus the project can partner with private banks or Micro finance institutions to raise awareness of the enterprises on the different financial products and services. The project can facilitate information dissemination on the following issues: access to finance, rules and regulations, how to get certification, access to input suppliers, health and hygiene at the workplace”.

Accordingly, the project planned to organize some workshop on Financial Literacy and Linkage Development with Financial Institute and SMCEs and seeking Experts (Individuals or Organizations) to facilitate the workshops effectively and efficiently.

Application Process

Interested agency/firm/ individuals are requested to submit their Expression of Interest (EoI) electronically to the following address on or before 4 July 2018

To
Mohammed Ashraf Uddin
Apt. 1B, House # 11, Road # 13, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1212
Please email to: Mohammad.Ashrafuddin@traidcraft.org
Mobile no. – 01711 055308

The EoI should include:

  • Contact details
  • Up to date CV of the resource persons with brief descriptions of similar assignments within 2/3 pages.
  • A clear overview of how this piece of work will be approached, the methodology proposed and the outputs generated, with a clear timeline for each of the specified activity and a budget apportioned for the assignment
  • Two references
The EOI, excluding the consultant CVs, should not be more than -10 pages long, should have 1.15 spacing, and use Times New Roman typeface with a minimum font size of 12.

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