CCC BUSINESS
WORKSHOP
A group of ICS high school
students organized a business
workshop for young people
from the CCC Children’s Cross
Connection, Ethiopia (CCC)
Children’s village based in
Wolaita Soddo, and Sele Enat
Orphanage. The HS students
who take an business course
organizational skills translating
as part of their IB Diploma
what we learned in our business
Program shared the knowledge
and experience from their
course. Mr. Nathan Haines, a
HS teacher who supervised the
activity explains the objective
of the workshop, “Many of
the groups who grew up in an
orphanage find it really hard
to find a job due to high rates
of unemployment or because
of the lack of important socio-
economic connections. Thus,
our students organized the
workshop to give them the
ideas and tools to start their
own businesses.”
The Business Workshop which
had only 20 youths from
the CCC last year has grown
to accommodate 35 young
Ethiopians from the CCC and
10 from Sele Enat Orphanage,
based in Addis Ababa. The
Business Workshop has had
an impact. According to
course into practice.” Mr. Haines
Sophie and Madot, two of agrees, “The workshop gave the
the students who organized students an opportunity to plan
the workshop, several of something that can really make
the businesses, which last an impact. It offered them an
year’s workshop participants authentic learning experience
started, are successful, and the helping them connect with
young people are earning a young Ethiopians and share their
sustainable income.” knowledge in authentic ways.”
The Business Workshop is part The students organized the two-
of the ICS service learning day workshop on 3-4 March 2019
program, a program in which to the 45 participants who were
students identify problems between 18-25 years old. They
within the local communities covered areas including: design
and come up with solutions. thinking model of innovative
Besides the benefits of the thinking, the 4Ps of marketing a
workshop to the participants, product, steps to starting a small
our students agree they benefit business and basics of finance
significantly from the project. related to small businesses.
Sophie explains, “We have
developed important planning
and collaboration skills. Also,
since we were facilitating the
project, we have developed
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