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Where we do it > Mongolia - Carlito Esmas, VSO Business Development Adviser

Name: Carlito Esmas
Location: Darkhan, Mongolia
Position: VSO Business Development Adviser

Since the disillusion of the Soviet Union and subsequent reduction in economic investment, there has been a significant increase in the disparity between rich and poor in Mongolia. In Darkhan – the second largest city in Mongolia - there is a significantly high unemployment rate.

Trying to tackle this is a local NGO called the Darkhan Business Incubator Centre (DBIC). The DBIC was set up in 2005 to provide training for the unemployed and disadvantaged in Darkhan. The organisation helps them become entrepreneurs, create employment and eventually support economic growth.

Despite the obvious need for DBIC’s services, the organisation was lacking an effective business plan that would promote its services to potential clients, so very few of the disadvantaged people who would benefit from support for their business ideas knew of DBIC’s existence.

But a partnership with VSO and the expertise of volunteer Carlito Esmas is addressing this. Having worked as a consultant with international projects such as USAid and in NGOs and government agencies, Carlito wanted to share his skills as a volunteer. His experience proved to be just what DBIC needed to support fledgling businesses in Darkhan.

With Carlito’s help, the organisation prepared a three-year strategic plan that was submitted to and discussed by the DBIC Management and Consulting Group. The plan will help DBIC to focus its objectives and to achieve business goals. Alongside this, Carlito helped to get the organisation’s administrative structures in order so they knew who was doing what and why.

“We carried out a capacity assessment that helped us devise an achievable mission with goals and objectives. It also helped us to develop a clear organisational structure with structured systems of administration and policies.”

The results of the three-year strategic plan have already materialised, as Carlito says: “At present, people in Darkhan are far more likely to know about the objectives of both organisations than they were a year ago. This is because of the DBIC engaging with one of its clients – Pyramid Studios, to generate publicity. The DBIC management was able to reach out to all 16 district areas in Darkhan and the representative-heads then knew what the organisation was set up to do and how it could help the people there.”

Carlito has also passed on business English to the DBIC. “I have to plan my business English lessons each day. I was not used to giving these lessons before I came to Mongolia, so I feel that it’s helped me as well with my people motivation skills.” Teaching business English to DBIC staff and the people who the DBIC works with means that when Carlito leaves the office, staff will be able to follow through on the strategic plan, submit business proposals to English-speaking investors, and to make plans for themselves and for others in the future.

Outside of all the hard work, Carlito enjoys a varied social life. As well as the walks taking in some of the beautiful Mongolian landscape, he enjoys a spot of karaoke. “Sometimes I go with all the Filipino volunteers to the sing-along bars where we all sing some Filipino songs. It’s a great way for us to get together and wind down without getting too homesick.”

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