SANMA TVET Centre P.O. Box528 Luganville,Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu T: (678) 37933; F: (678) 37561 Mr. Sakaraiah Daniel Secretary General SANMA Province 30 May 2016 SANMA TVET CENTRE UPDATE–April and May 2016 Secretary General, Please find below a brief report on key activities undertaken by the Sanma TVET Centre to improve the quality of life and access to training delivery in Sanma Province in support of provincial development priorities for the month of April and May 2016. We are pleased to inform you of the positive outcomes for that period to ensure benefits for the people of Sanma Province. Business Development Services From the 5th to 7th April 2016 the Sanma TVET Centre, worked in partnership with an Agribusiness expert within the Agriculture Department to deliver an Agribusiness workshop to 10 identified key lead farmers (2 female) from the Sanma root crop and vegetable farmers group. Commercial farming or farming as a business is the main objective for this workshop and the key farmers have shown a lot of interest in the skills learned and are keen to demonstrate the skills in their respective farms. These farmers are lead farmers who are very active in producing large quantity of crops that are sold at the market and they also assist the Agriculture Department to distribute root crops and vegetables to areas affected by Cyclone PAM and El Nino. These farmers have now gained a lot of skills and knowledge in commercial farming. The most important outcome from this workshop was that participants now understand how to make an estimated calculation of total cost and revenue to be gained from a plot of land for particular crops planted. This includes consideration of the following areas: 1. Measurement of the total area of plot to be cultivated 2. Planting space 3. Total number of crops in one plot 4. Expected timeframe for harvest 5. Method for optimal harvest 1 6. Packaging and transportation 7. Cost of sales and selling price (breakeven price) 8. Revenue and profit From the 11th to 22nd April 2016, the Sanma TVET Centre worked in partnership with the Department of Forestry to deliver the new qualification of Certificate 1 in Forest and Forest Product (Chainsaw milling) to 16 sawmilling operators from Malo Island and South Santo Area 2 in Araki island. This workshop aimed to provide required skills and knowledge in chainsaw milling operations, daily chainsaw maintenance and repair and calculation and pricing. The host community demonstrated good community support during this training with co contribution which helped in reducing the cost of this training. The timbers produced during the training will help the community to rebuild their community hall. On the 28th April 2016, the Sanma TVET Centre worked in collaboration with the Disability Promotion Advocacy (DPA) and Frangipani Association to organise a consultation with stakeholders on the possibility of starting a Sanma Disability Network and involving organisations that are involved in activities related to people with disability in their activities. The Australian Government through the Scope Global AVID Disability Initiative Grant is helping in the development of the Network. The Network will help stakeholders to work together to address the need for people with disability across Sanma Province. The stakeholders involved includes: Save the Children Vanuatu, Red Cross Society, Vanuatu Family Health Association, Live and Learn, Youth Challenge Vanuatu, DPA association, Frangipani, Northern Care Youth Centre, Just Play program and Sanma TVET Centre. On the 26th and 27th May 2016, the Disability Network Stakeholders conducted the first community awareness and display at Fanafo community during the celebration to commemorate the “World Health Day”. The Sanma TVET Centre organized a tent with a display of the TVET Centre’s activities as well as disability inclusive activities and reports from DPA and Frangipani. The Awareness brought a lot of attention to the community of Fanofo with emphasis on including people with disability in any community activities. The results from the first day awareness saw more participation of people with a disability (about six) during the second day of awareness and displays. More people were interested in the TVET Centre activities and a lot of them filled in Expression of Interest Forms for upcoming skill development opportunities. The 2 community with the support from the Area Secretary has identified some training needs for the community and will complete the training request form and send back to Sanma TVET Centre for consideration From the 2nd to 6thMay 2016, the Sanma TVET Centre worked in partnership with the Department of Tourism to facilitate a Tourism Bus Drivers workshop for 26 local tour operator drivers, bus driver and taxi drivers in Sanma. This workshop was a joint activity between the Department of Tourism, Sanma Land Transport Association and the Sanma TVET Centre to assist tourism drivers in Sanma to understand the importance of their role as tourism drivers and help them to better understand how to conduct themselves in a professional manner, communicate and provide an appropriate customer service to tourists arriving in Sanma. From the 9thto 13th May 2016, the Sanma TVET Centre worked in partnership with the Department of Forestry and Department of Cooperatives and Community Service to conduct a 5 days’ workshop on Micro and Small Business Management to potential local sawmill and mini mill operators in Sanma. This workshop was initiated by the 3 Department of Forestry to help these local sawmill and mini mill operators to move from informal business to formal business operations which means they will be able to manage their financial transactions to sustain their business as well as be able to contribute to the Government and operate within a legal framework by paying their business licence, insurance and registration with the Department of Forestry each year. These are the results of the hard working staff of the TVET Centre and our partners and we look forward to continuingto work with you to strengthen our communities by delivering coordinated trainings, workshops, and coaching for economic development. Sincerely yours Moulin TABOUTI SANMA TVET Centre Manager cc: George JONATHAN, Director, Tertiary and Higher Education David LAMBUKLY, CEO, VQA. Richard COLEMAN, Vice Chairman, Sanma Provincial Government Training Board Fremden S. YANHAMBATH, Team Leader, VTSSP Anna GIBERT, Implementation Adviser, VTSSP. Peter MORRIS, Technical Director, VTSSP. Sara WEBB, M&E Specialist, VTSSP. Sally BAKER, Disability Inclusion Adviser, VTSSP Christelle THIEFFRY, Senior Program Manager - Education, Australian High Commission George BORUGU, Director, Department of Tourism 4 Joseph RIDLEY, Director, Office of the Registrar of Cooperative and Business Development Services 5.