Terms of Reference (ToR) Trainer for Business Skills Management Training

Project: Strengthening Social-Economic Participation of Women (SEPOW)
Implementing Partner: Alight Horn of Africa.
Duration: 5 months.
Target Group: 450 Women (Household Heads)
1. Background.
Alight in partnership with GIZ is implementing SEPOW project aimed to promote entrepreneurship among the
target group, ultra-poor women-led households by enhancing their business development skills and providing
support services. The project’s goal is to foster sustainable improvement in women led households’ income by
equipping 450 women with crucial business skills. The proposed business development component entails;
business skills training, mentorship & asset transfer for investment. The initiative will help in enhancing their
entrepreneurial spirit and establishing small and medium enterprises that will foster sustainable improvement in
household income.
2. Objectives.
The consultant will design and deliver a 5 months skill-oriented business training program for 470 women using
accredited business training modules. The training aims to enhance entrepreneurial and business skills, promote
positive mindset changes and build technical skills needed to establish and grow micro businesses (individual and
group businesses). The training will start off as a 3 months general business skills training covering essential
foundational topics, and gradually transition into specific business skills training tailored to specific types of
businesses chosen by the participants. The training should enable the trainees to learn how to care for assets and
run a business.
Using data from an existing market assessment, the consultant will support the women in identifying viable,
market-driven business opportunities. This will enable participants to create feasible business plans that align
closely with current market demands and realities in Kismayo, across Somalia, and by leveraging opportunities in
neighboring regions.
By the end of the training, the women will have the knowledge and confidence to plan, initiate and operate
profitable business enterprises, manage daily operations, care for business assets, and sustainably grow their
enterprises
3. Scope of Work.
The trainer will be responsible for:
a. Training Design
➢ Develop a comprehensive skill-oriented business training curriculum using accredited modules and platforms
such as ILO’s business training and CEFE training. Ensure the curriculum cover both general business skills
and skill-oriented technical training relevant to participant’ chosen line of business. However, Consultants
may develop a hybrid module from different training schemes available and used in Somalia as long as it
ensures value addition.
The curriculum must be delivered in Somali to ensure great deal of understanding as the beneficiaries are
currently undertaking literacy and numeracy training. It should be practical, easy to understand and aligned
with their literacy needs.
b. Training delivery.
➢ Conduct interactive and participatory training sessions for 450 women over period of 5 months, 3 months of
general training and 2 months of specific business skills training or any professional skills required as well as
business plan development process. The training session should be interactive which gives the participants
room to ask questions when they do not understand.
➢ The training should be designed to be more time-intensive in the beginning and phase out with less time
commitment as the women do their business plan development process including visits to local markets to
understand the market dynamics relevant to own businesses.
➢ Use adult learning techniques and design the content to local context and beneficiary’s literacy level. Majority
of the beneficiaries are adult women with low level of literacy.
➢ Encourage practical learning through exercise, case studies and group work. Adopt a mixed of classroom
training and practical demonstrations and will be delivered both in class and in the field practical sessions.
➢ Design a system of remedial support for women who may have missed sessions due to unavoidable
circumstances such as sickness leading them to fall behind.
➢ Engage successful role models, such as female entrepreneurs that worked their way up, to inspire women and
strengthen their networks.
➢ Provide leaner assessments before the training starts to determine the beneficiary’s literacy level and adapt
delivery methods as needed based on feedback and evaluation.
➢ The consultant will work together with three Associations of business Mentors and Coaches during the
business development process. Each association consisting of 5 mentors/coaches will be given a list of
beneficiaries they will work with and support during the entire project.
N.B: Consultants should NOT include the cost of business coaches into their budget proposal.
c. Entrepreneurial Mindset Building.
Integrate modules to address the four key personal factors for entrepreneurial success.
➢ Motivation and commitment – By the end of the training the beneficiaries should understand the importance of
personal drive to start, grow and maintain businesses.
➢ Abilities and skills – Train the beneficiaries to have the capabilities needed to run and grow their businesses.
These include technical skills (service delivery, product creation etc.), communication skills, negotiations,
leadership skills etc.
➢ Ideas and market – The beneficiaries should be able to conduct market research that will help them recognize
customer needs and market gap. This will give them an idea of what product to provide to remain competitive.
➢ Resources – The trainees should be EQUIPED with how to efficiently acquire, allocate and manage resources to
maximize on profits. These resources include, financial resource, human resource, technology etc.
d. Facilitate Business idea development, Screening and validation process
➢ Work with 470 women to individually choose a line of business/livelihood, primarily based on the shortlist of
viable micro-business models identified in the market survey (but not limited to it) and develop financially
sustainable business plans.
➢ Develop simple Business plan form; Business trainer will be required to develop and present simple Business plan
translated in local language and Organize orientation session for all the women. The consultant should include
business plan format in the narrative proposal.
➢ The Business plan development process is expected to begin after undergoing 36 days of business skills training
and having covered 108 hours. Towards the end of the 3rd Month, the trainees (beneficiaries) with the guidance of
the team (Alight staff, Mentors & Trainers) should identify a community need that will be converted to a business
idea that align with insights from the market assessment. This will ensure that business identification & selection
is based on existing market need.
➢ Using the market feasibility study findings, Alight in collaboration with relevant stakeholders have conducted
market assessment and developed list of business opportunities proved to be viable in the market. However, other
type of business ideas will also be considered other than those listed in the market assessment report. The trainer
will further sensitize target women on list of viable business opportunity and will also encourage participants to
come up with their own ideas
e. Mentorship and support:
Offer group or individual mentorship as needed during and after training delivery. Also guide the participants in
developing business plans and identifying market opportunities.
f. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
➢ Develop and use checklists for monitoring content delivery and learning environment.
➢ Collect and incorporate feedback from trainees and community evaluation sessions.
➢ Submit regular progress and final reports, including lessons learned and recommendations for improvements.
4. Deliverables
➢ Deliver 5 months business skills training to 450 women beneficiaries.
➢ Training curriculum and materials.
➢ 5 months training plan and schedule.
➢ Pre- and post-training assessment tools.
➢ Monthly progress report.
➢ Final training report including participants attendance, learning outcome and recommendation.

➢ Certified business trainers.
➢ Proven experience in designing and delivering business skills training, especially for women and individuals
with low levels of prior education.
➢ Knowledge of adult learning methodologies and training approaches.
➢ Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
➢ Experience in Business skills training management in Somalia.
➢ Ability to work in multicultural multistakeholder stetting and with low-literacy target groups.
➢ The consultant should be able to have 10-12 trainers in order to deliver effective training to 450 beneficiaries
in five different learning facilities.
6. Reporting and supervision.
The trainer will report to the ALIGHT Project Manager and work closely with project team and other relevant
stakeholders.
7. Timeline.
The assignment will cover a period of 5 months from the signing of the contract.

Interested trainers should submit:
➢ Company profile and legal registration to operate in Somalia.
➢ An updated CV of the lead consultant and Business skills trainers (Hiring of least 60% Female trainers will be
an added advantage).
➢ Cover letter highlighting relevant experience.
➢ Consultant should send a narrative proposal and financial plan (Budget) indicating at least 10-12 qualified
trainers for a period of 5 months, 3-4 days a week for 450 Women. Proposal of training approaches and
methodologies including type of modules, which training approach they propose and justify reason, they can
also where possible make hybrid modules as long as it provides value addition. The consultant should
ensure proposed business plan format is incorporated in the narrative proposal.
➢ Provide References for previous assignments done.
How to Apply/ Application procedure. Interested applicants should submit their application to below email
[email protected] NOT later than 30th October 2025, 5:00PM EAT. Application
submitted past this date and time will NOT be considered