BACKGROUND
Zantchito Skills for Jobs Programme is a European-funded project with a total budget of €55 million embedded in the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). Out of this budget, a total of €2.58 million has been attributed to this technical assistance project. The Zantchito programme aims at creating an ecosystem of job creators, as opposed to job seekers.
The Zantchito Skills for Jobs programme has two focus areas, TEVET and Entrepreneurship, with the following respective specific objectives: 1) to improve the
workforce qualifications and access of TEVET graduates to employment; 2) to promote
entrepreneurial culture, sustainable enterprise creation and decent, formal jobs. This
intervention falls under the second specific objective and will particularly support reforms
for business enabling environment for MSMEs' entrepreneurship.
Overall objective of this project is to assist the Government of Malawi in creating an enabling business environment for MSMEs and strengthen labour-related laws, for the attainment of decent job creation, and sustainable economic growth in Malawi in consultation with MSMEs, development partners, and other stakeholders.
Project Purpose 1: To create an enabling business environment for MSMEs in Malawi.
The intervention will contribute to efficient operations of MSMEs by addressing the key
constraints to an enabling MSME environment that discourage their establishment and
growth. To this effect, the programme will support the establishment and functioning of
a multistakeholder policy dialogue platform (SME Forum), addressing policy-related
issues affecting MSME operations, and further support operationalisation of the SME
Law in Malawi.
Project Purpose 2: To improve the regulatory environment and promote observance of labour laws that address decent work deficits in Malawi by Ministry of Labour.
Key results to be achieved
Result 1: Streamlined policy interventions on entrepreneurship development
Actions to be implemented:
- Functional Multistakeholder platform established (SME Forum)
Result 2: Increased efficiency and effectiveness of MSME interventions
Actions to be implemented:
- Regulations to the SME Law developed
- Capacitated SME regulations users
- Business Development Service Provider Accreditation system developed
- MSME-BDS integrated web-based platform developed
- MSME support structures (Business Support Units) established in six districts
Result 3: Reviewed labour laws in line with international standards for improved
implementation of labour laws to be implemented by Ministry of Labour.
Result 4: Enhanced awareness of MSME and labour laws policy interventions and EU
support to the action
Actions to be implemented:
- Awareness on policy dialogue entrepreneurship reforms
- Awareness on the MSME policy, SME Law and SME regulations
- Awareness on the MSME-BDS integrated web-based platform
- Awareness on decent work and labour laws