The project is part of an ongoing profile of projects that UNITAR coordinates for capacity building in the Niger Delta region linked to resources, conflict mitigation, and economic development via the Port Harcourt Project Office (PHPO).
The Micro-Enterprise Acceleration Programme (MAP) Training of-Trainers (TOT) was organized by UNITAR/PHPO in partnership with the Micro-Enterprise Acceleration Institute of Geneva (MEA-I). The institute is a non-profit organization supported by the computer giant Hewlett Packard (HP) whose key objective is to provide specialized training for trainers and educators who will subsequently deliver MAP to small businesses, providing them with practical usage of ICT to grow their businesses
The Event was sponsored by TOTAL E & P Nigeria Limited, as a way to provide sustainable employment and revenues for local communities within the Regional Economic Development Framework. This is a step change by TOTAL E & P from Relationship with communities based on Assistance to relationship with communities based on Empowerment.
This change in TOTAL ‘s approach to community engagement lead to a partnership with UNITAR, which has yielded results like the Specialized Technical Trainings, Manpower Development and implementation of projects that benefit host communities in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
TOTAL E & P recognizes that an Upgrade of Oil Mining license (OML 58) in the Region means opportunities for local and community content during construction and operation. On this basis UNITAR/PHPO initiated the partnership to assist SMEs in the area grow their businesses using ICT.
This round of training showed participants how to apply the experiential methodology, use ICT technologies to solve different business challenges and opportunities, and bridge the gap between business and technology courses available to entrepreneurs.
This Business - Technology - Business framework is unique to MEA-I and works as follows:
Participants are provided with new information, information is processed via hands-on experiences. In a follow-up stage participants reflect on the experiences and then apply what they have learned.
The first ever pilot MAP center will open by the by third quarter of 2010 in Egi Land. This project will assist the communities of Egi Land to harness the area’s natural and human capital more effectively and through a more participatory and experiential methodology that can be easily applied and integrated into community SME practices.
For more information on UNITAR's activities in the Niger Delta Region see the Port Harcourt Project office's section on the UNITAR website:http://www.unitar.org/ldp/phpo