About GFI

Workforce & Enterprise Development

Workforce & Enterprise Development

• Prepare individuals to enter the workforce
• Strengthen entrepreneurs’ ability to manage their small businesses
• Leverage GFI’s expertise to help workers and small businesses better meet market demands

GFI's informality-focused programs prepare individuals to enter the workforce or strengthen entrepreneurs’ ability to manage their small businesses. These programs leverage GFI’s expertise in understanding the needs of the market to help workers and small businesses position themselves to better meet these demands. This approach is reflected in our core values of creating decent working conditions for the poor through economic opportunities. GFI’s workforce development programs have focused on providing training to workers to be more competitive candidates in the marketplace as well as conducting financial and marketing training for small businesses.

Example:

In India, GFI’s Retail Opportunity Training Initiative (ROTI) is providing retail, communication, and confidence training to individuals, mostly women, interested in talking advantage of the jobs available in India’s rapidly growing retail sector. GFI is also pursuing several proposals to strengthen small and medium enterprises and educational services for job seekers.

Our programs that focus on workforce and enterprise development include:

Building Inclusive Shea Economies

Verapaz Community Empowerment Program

Verapaz Action for Sustainable Agro-Industry

Sololá Agro-Industry Initiative

Promoting Informal Labor Rights

Retail Opportunity Training Initiative

Salt Workers Economic Empowerment Program