UKaid सीप’s partnership with the Morang Earth Movers Pvt. Ltd. (MEPL) has brought together an industry leader in the construction sector, local training providers, local governments, NGOs, and the wider private sector for establishing pathways for industry-led skilling-based employment for job seekers as well as firm growth for interlinked industries. Using a system-strengthening approach, MEPL’s co-investment and leadership, with support from सीप, has resulted in: establishment of a state-of-the-art Operator Training Centre at Janakpur; significant upgrades to training partners at Nepalgunj and Bhaktapur; and a newly-forming Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the Tilottama Municipality that will expand MEPL’s MAW Skills Academy in the Butwal-Bhairahawa corridor.
Expanding Industry-Led Multi-Sectorial Public Private Partnerships for In-Demand Occupations
With catalytic support from सीप, MEPL has introduced several gender-inclusive outreach and marketing tactics, including a special scholarship fund and accommodation provision at the training centers, to reach and mobilise greater numbers of women and youth from disadvantaged communities—embarking on a path to inclusion for the first time. MEPL has also actively forged collaborations with 11 local government bodies and 14 CBOs/NGOs to build a more effective livelihood support ecosystem. To date, of the nearly 560 trained by MEPL and its partners, 254 have benefited from co-funding from local GoN/NGOs.
Indicating the value of their partnership with UKaid सीप, Vishnu Agarwal, Managing Director of MAW and MEPL explains, “UKaid सीप’s partnership model has helped us foster meaningful collaborations with the key system actors including local governments; contribute to industry’s growth needs while creating gainful livelihoods for people—as training itself is not so important until the trainee is able to secure a job as a result of it.” Catch full remarks by Agarwal here.
Bhup Bahadur B.K., from Rolpa, during training in Nepalgunj OTC. / Courtesy: MEPL “MEPL will manage the training institute while the municipality will be its patron. Thousands of youths can find better skilling and employment opportunities.” - Mayor Ghimire, Tilottama
Forging new partnerships with the Tilottama Municipality. सीप is brokering an agreement between the Tillottama Municipality and MEPL for a cost-effective PPP that ensures expansion of the MAW Skills Academy in Lumbini Province. The municipality intends to provide land and infrastructure to incentivize and kick-start operation of the academy. “We’re looking forward to bringing the MAW Skills Academy to a prime location in Tilottama to offer high-quality training and high-paying employment opportunities, whether in the domestic market or as migrant workers, for our youth,” shared Mayor Basudev Ghimire during a conversation with सीप’s Regional Manager Sanjay Gyawali.
Building off of the job-linked training model tested with सीप’s support over the last two years, through the training centre planned at Tilottama, MEPL is exploring entry into additional job roles such as plumbing, automobile (two and four wheelers), AC/refrigerator and electrician to cater to the wider construction cum manufacturing industry’s workforce needs.