MSMEs in ASEAN to benefit from mentorship program

Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion on Wednesday, Feb. 1, announced the kick off of a mentorship program for entrepreneurs in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which aims to facilitate a modules-based program to help small and medium businesses scale up and bring equal opportunities for all.

The ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network (AMEN) was designed for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and facilitated by trained and accredited mentors.

“It can be likened to an MBA (Master of Business Administration) program for MSMEs,” Concepcion said of the “formal training” that entrepreneurs in the region can start availing this February 2023.

His non-profit organization became the blueprint for AMEN, the legacy project from the Philippines chairmanship of the ASEAN in 2017, where the Go Negosyo founder served as chair.

It was patterned after the Kapatid Mentor Micro-Enterprises (KMME), which Go Negosyo implements together with the country’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

So far, the KMME program produced more than 12,000 graduates since its implementation in 2016.

Concepcion, who attended the Handover Ceremonies of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) held in Jakarta, Indonesia on Jan. 30, emphasized once more the importance of MSMEs in achieving inclusive economic prosperity in the region, and the role of AMEN in making this possible.

“We must embrace these MSMEs,” he told the gathering of ASEAN officials, diplomats and some of the region’s most successful businessmen.

“It is our responsibility as big business to help [MSMEs] move up the ladder. As we scale them up, your businesses will also scale up,” he said.

By helping MSMEs upgrade and upscale, Concepcion said this would have a great impact on the region’s economies, as well as help in achieving equality for all.

According to his statement, there are more than 70 million MSMEs in the ASEAN, and they are estimated to be responsible for generating 85 percent of the jobs and 45 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the region.

The goal of AMEN is to certify and train at least 10 mentors from each ASEAN member state, and mentor at least 30 MSMEs from each ASEAN member state.

Having first piloted in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, it would be translated into seven languages, namely Khmer, Indonesian, Lao, Bahasa Malay, Burmese, Thai and Viet as it moves to an ASEAN-wide implementation.

In his speech before the ABAC, Concepcion thanked the Japanese government for funding AMEN through two grants: $347,396 in March 2019 for its pilot phase, and $333,943 in March 2022.