new business module

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INTRODUCTION
1. Background
Since 2001, the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) has been implementing income-generating programmes,
or microeconomic initiatives (MEI), for vulnerable
populations in dozens of contexts throughout the world. The
beneficiaries of these programmes typically have very limited
or no business management experience. Programme reviews
and evaluations have revealed that basic business management
training could help them set up and run their businesses
properly, improving the chances that they will achieve faster
and better results from their income-generating activity.
The decision was taken to devise a business skills training
course to help MEI beneficiaries develop sound business ideas
and formulate simple business plans. The course is intended
to guide the beneficiaries step by step through the process of
establishing the plan and makes them think through the different
aspects of their business idea. It is also intended to
provide them with simple tools to run their business, notably
a simple record-keeping system.
This script constitutes a basic step-by-step business skills training
course that can help the beneficiaries of MEIs develop and
run their businesses.
The course is intended for applicants who have gone through
the initial selection process for an MEI programme, i.e. all those
who are deemed vulnerable, and who have the capacity and
motivation to implement a business idea. Final approval for a
grant should be given upon completion of the course and
based on the business idea developed by the applicant.