A five-day Training of Local Trainers (TLT) for the Sustainable Access to Finance to Enable Entrepreneurship (SAFEE) Program successfully concluded in Hawassa, equipping 31 local facilitators with advanced skills in business coaching, mentoring, and financial literacy. Delivered by JALE Consultancy Service in partnership with Kifiya Financial Technology PLC and the Mastercard Foundation, the initiative aims to strengthen Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the grassroots level
The inaugural Cohort 01 of the SAFEE Program's basic training was held from August 11-15, 2025, at the Kifile-Selam Hotel in Hawassa City, focusing on capacity building for local trainers. The program engaged 31 participants from the Hawassa-Zuriya and Aleta-Wondo areas with the core objective of improving the financial and digital literacy of MSMEs across Ethiopia.
Over the intensive five-day session, the trainers advanced their abilities in several key areas. The curriculum covered essential facilitation skills, techniques for managing group dynamics, and in-depth modules on coaching and mentoring, including the practical application of the GROW framework (Goal, Reality, Options, Will). Participants also gained valuable business practice tools, such as inventory management, pricing strategies, and problem-solving using the 5 Whys method. Furthermore, the training included an introduction to the principles of Interest-Free Banking (IFB) to promote financial inclusion